You Saved Me
by Tallflower
Summary: Dt. Giovanna Rosa is a new transfer from the Miami-Dade county Narcotics Unit. What happens when her most kept secret is shared almost ends her life? Oh, and throw to the mix a massive crush for a known redheaded attorney and let the fun begin. Casey/OC pairing. Carisi/OC friendship.
1. Chapter 1

_**Chapter 1**_

Today was the day. It was the first day of the rest of her life. Detective Giovanna Rosa had just transferred from Miami-Dade county Narcotics Unit and had now been assigned to Manhattan's Special Victims Unit. The thirty-year-old beauty had had a good run at Narcotics but unforeseen circumstances had led her to where she is now. Of course she loved the thrill of the Narcotics Unit but now, she couldn't think of just herself, she had _other_ responsibilities. Oh, she never planned this certain circumstance but now, she couldn't have been happier.

She rose from her slumber at six sharp and hauled her body to the shower. She was careful not to wake the sleeping form that lay next to her or else she would never hear the end of it. She had her outfit of the day already out and ready to avoid rummaging through the drawers and turning on lights that need not be turned on. She showered and straightened her long raven locks. She moisturized her body and applied a generous amount of make-up and made it out of the bathroom by fifteen to seven. Her body was clad with skinny black trousers, a white striped button-down, and a burgundy blazer and her trusty pair of heeled boots. She exited her room and made it quickly to the room next to her own.

Upon entering she saw the most beautiful sight, the same one she had been seeing for the past four months, the sight that had taken her breath away, and had changed her life for the better. Her daughter Beau Jolie lay peacefully in her crib, her breathing deep and even, and her little body clad with the cutest footy pajamas.

"Hey there sweet girl," she cooed to the infant who was still asleep, "Let's get you to abuela's house, yea?"

She leaned forward and grabbed the sleeping form, carrying it to the changing table to change her diaper and add her heavy coat. She grabbed the bag with the belongings of her daughter and placed the baby over her shoulder, making her way to one of the kitchen drawers that her father had most graciously adjusted to need a key. It was where she kept her gun and shield. She holstered her side arm and shield on her belt, grabbed her keys, and made it out of her apartment by seven. Downstairs the air was crisp, nipping at her face. It was going to get some getting used to, to this northeast weather even though her parents had moved here after her eighteenth birthday, leaving her in Miami with her older brother and sister. They had visited their parents for Thanksgiving or Christmas every year but usually they were only in town for a couple of days, now she had to learn how to live and work in these conditions. Oh, and let us not forget—drive.

She knocked on her parent's apartment door a little after seven. Her mother opened the door with a cup of coffee in her hands and a huge smile on her face, "Buenos días, mami," Giovanna said chipper.

"Buenos días mi vida, come inside, you must be freezing," her mother said, ushering her inside.

"And, how are my two favorite girls?" Gilberto or Gil for short asked as he entered the living room.

"Papi," Giovanna said, not amused at all by her father's biased opinion, "we're only your favorite because we're here," she finished, chuckling.

"Bueno, that might true," he said, kissing his daughter's forehead, "You ready for your first day, Gia?"

"Yea, I am," she said, sitting down with her now fussing infant, "I've been ready to go back to work since I gave birth but it's this face that makes me want to stay and never leave," Giovanna uttered, stroking the cheek of her child; her beautiful hazel eyes gleaming at her.

"Mhmm," her mother mumbled, "you better feed her too before she wakes up the entire building, Gia. Breakfast will be ready soon."

Gia rolled her eyes and smiled, fetching a burp cloth and throwing it over her chest in order to nurse her hungry child. Their conversation and banter continued effortlessly over breakfast and twenty minutes before eight she bid goodbye to her parents and daughter and made the ten-minute walk from her parents to the precinct. The hustle and bustle of the precinct put a smile on her face. She couldn't describe it; it was something out of her control.

She loved being a cop; it was all she wanted to be since she could remember. And, even though her parents had made sure she had gone to and graduated college with her degree, they let her pursue what she wanted to. She was smart, she graduated top of her class from the University of Miami with a degree in Criminology. Her father, though slightly upset that she hadn't pursued a career in law, was equally if not more happy that her daughter had busted multiple drug rings in her short four years in the Narcotics unit in Miami.

"Good morning, may I help you?" a sweet, southern blonde caught her attention.

"Oh, uh," she ran her fingers through her long mane, adjusting the box of her belongings on her hip, "I am looking for Lieutenant Benson."

"Oh," the blonde raised her eyebrows, "is there something I can help you with?"

Gia smiled, "Well, I'm Detective Rosa, the transfer from Miami," she waited until everything registered for the blonde.

"Oh, Detective Amanda Rollins," Amanda said, extending her arm.

Gia took it and shook her hand, "Giovanna but everybody calls me Gia."

At that moment a tall, voluptuous woman entered the bullpen. Gia found her stunningly beautiful. She reminded her of Sam, her girlfriend. You know, the sleeping lover that lay on her bed and would have a conniption if she were woken up after working various shifts at the numerous bars of the New York scene, "Amanda, who's your friend?" said the tall brunette.

Amanda chuckled and Gia smiled, "Actually, we've just met," Amanda begun.

"Detective Giovanna Rosa, new transfer from Miami," Gia said, extending her arm.

"Oh wow," said the brunette, shaking her hand, "I wasn't expecting you until next week."

Gia shrugged, "I know, some things got expedited and I am happy and ready to start today if that's ok with the Lieutenant," Gia said, motioning around to see if she could find said person.

The brunette smiled, "I don't think the Lieutenant would have a problem with it," she smiled, "Lieutenant Olivia Benson, welcome to SVU."

Gia widened her heterochromatic eyes, "It's a pleasure, Lieutenant."

Olivia tittered, "Same here, you come highly recommended," Gia nodded, "Well, this is your desk," she motioned to an empty desk behind a fully stocked one, "and, before you get accommodated, I would like a word with you in private."

"Oh," Gia said placing the box atop her new desk and following Olivia to her office.

"Please have a seat," Olivia motioned to the chairs in front of her desk and shutting the door before making her way around her desk, "I've given you your official welcome. Now, I want to hear from you."

Gia shifted uncomfortably in her seat. This would be the moment that she had to come clean to her new commanding officer. She needed to, again, she was her commanding officer and if anyone could understand it was Olivia. And, even if she said nothing, everything was in her jacket, "Uh, Lieutenant," she bit her lip, "I worked Narcotics in Miami. My second year there I was drafted to go undercover and within three weeks, we had brought down the drug ring. I kept being drafted and I was barely on the field after that, I was mostly doing busts whilst undercover," she wrung out her hands, "Last year I went undercover to bust a ring that was using young girls as mules to carry back and forth to Colombia. Once I infiltrated the ring, I did a drop and then I got moved on to recruiting."

"I remember reading about that one, a couple of the TSA guys were part of the ring and would just look the other way when the girls would come by," Olivia added, leaning back on her chair.

Gia nodded and grimaced, "One night, the big boss was impressed with the quality of girls I was bringing in—which were more cops, girls from the academy—and he invited me to stay after their party. Thinking I could get some intel, I stayed back. Uh," Gia swallowed hard and fought back the tears, "h—he raped me."

"Oh Giovanna," Olivia said, standing and walking to sit next to her, "I am so sorry," she said, placing her hand on Gia's knee, "Where the hell was your handler?" Olivia's voice raised an octave.

Gia smiled and placed her hand atop Olivia's, "Thank you Lieutenant," she sniffled and wiped the stray tear that had escaped her eyes, "I called him the very next day once I made it to the hospital. They took the rape kit and pictures of the trauma. It took them two weeks to pull me out safely and a month later the ring was busted. I ended up being pregnant as a result of the rape." Gia searched the eyes of her Lieutenant.

"Jesus," Olivia said, running her hands over her mouth, "may I ask what happened to the baby?"

Gia smiled brightly and reached her coat pocket, "Meet Beau Jolie Rosa," she said proudly, showing Olivia the beautiful tan skinned, hazel eyed, and raven-haired infant.

"Oh, she's beautiful," Olivia exclaimed, reaching her desk for a picture of her wife and kids, "This is Noah," she said, pointing at the curly haired boy, "this is Caroline," she pointed at a blue eyed brunette, "this is Ethan," she pointed at a blonde toddler, "and this is my wife, Alexandra."

"You have a beautiful family, Lieutenant," they doted on their family pictures for a while.

"Listen Giovanna," Olivia begun.

"Gia, Lieutenant; call me Gia."

"Gia," she said with a nod, "we're all a family here and whatever you need do not hesitate to tell me or let me or one of your coworkers know. You're one of us now."

Gia nodded, "Thanks."

"Now come on, I think it's time to meet your partner," with that the Lieutenant stood and exited her office accompanied by the newest member of the squad.

Out on the bullpen Amanda talked to two men, "Fin, Carisi; meet Giovanna Rosa our new Detective," Olivia motioned to the men in front of her, "Gia, this is Sergeant Odafin Tutuola."

"Call me Fin, welcome to SVU. What'd you do in Miami?"

"Gia—I was Narcotics UC for four years," she said matter-of-factly.

Fin whistled, "That's impressive youngin'. I was Narcotics too," he said with a wry smile that Gia returned wholeheartedly.

"And, this is Detective Dominic Carisi, your new partner," she said motioning to a good-looking blue eyed guy.

"Call me Sonny, welcome to SVU. I'll teach you everything there is to know, don't worry."

"All right then, every one to work," Olivia said, raising her hands up as she turned to head back into her office.

The rest of the morning happened slowly. Gia unpacked and accommodated her belongings in her new desk. She set up her laptop the way she preferred it and she did all the correct paperwork for her transfer as well as helping out her new partner with some of his five forms. Once noon rolled around, she was too excited to go out to lunch and see her daughter. She saw the team was hesitant of her, which was to be expected. Until she could prove herself, they were bound to react that way.

She slid her card over to Carisi and turned it upside down and revealed her cellphone number, "I'll be back in an hour, please call me if anything happens. Would you like something whilst I'm out?"

He shook his head and she continued upon her way.

She made it to her parent's apartment building in ten minutes again and knocked on the door. Knowing it was she, her father yelled out for her to come in. He was about to feed Beau a bottle of her breast milk and Gia was glad she had been just in time to nurse Beau; the pressure it was creating was becoming uncomfortable.

Forty minutes after, Gia was laying her daughter on her bassinet when her phone began to chirp, "Rosa," she mumbled into the receiver.

" _Hey partner_ ," came the chipper voice of Sonny on the other end, " _It's our turn to catch, we are needed in Chelsea, do you want me to pick you up?_ "

"Actually," she looked at her surroundings, "I am literally around the corner from the precinct, I'll be waiting outside."

" _On my way!_ "

She pressed the end button on her screen, sent him the address, and gathered her coat. She thanked her mother for the delicious food as always and ran outside. By the time she exited the building, she recognized one of the unmarked cars of the precinct and waved him down. She entered the vehicle and began their way to where they were needed, "What do we have?" she asked.

"DV victim, battered and beaten," Carisi said, never taking his eyes off the road to which she was grateful for.

Gia physically tensed at the mention of a domestic violence victim, "D—Does it ever get easy, S—Sonny?" she asked, her words were out of her mouth before she could stop them.

He chanced a glance at her and smiled, "Honestly, no but you learn to cope with it. You learn that each time you put away one of these bastards, you'll smile a little brighter."

Gia nodded and smiled, "Thank you."

The rest of the ride went smoothly. They made small talk; they got to know each other better. They never once dabbled into their personal lives and partly were because; Carisi had made that mistake before. It was best for the opposite party to open up when they were ready, not by forcing them.

At the scene, Sonny spoke to the male counterpart and Gia took Christa's—the victim—statement. She was consistent and persistent on pressing charges, stating that it had happened one too many times and that it was enough. Gia escorted her to one of the uniforms of the local precinct that had responded to the dispute call and told him to take her back to the precinct. Sonny arrested Joshua—the victim's boyfriend—and told the uniform the same thing.

On their way back, Gia didn't speak. She looked out the window at the passing cars, buildings, and people. She thought about her own relationship, how she had been in it on and off for nearly ten years. When she met Samantha for the first time she thought she was a player. Of course that had nothing to do with the fact that Sam was team captain of the girls basketball team but a _real_ player. They had dated and at first it was all pink and white, she was attentive, she listened, she cared but catch Sam after a drunken night or do something Sam didn't like and it was like a whole other person lived in the vessel that once was occupied by the sweet, tall woman.

Carisi noticed, "Hey, Gia," he gently shook her shoulder.

Gia, startled, recoiled from his touch, "Sorry, sorry, I got lost in my thoughts there," she chuckled.

Carisi furrowed his brow at her behavior but didn't say anything, "We're back, let's go grill this guy."

* * *

 **A/N:** Please review and let me know what you think, please!


	2. Chapter 2

_**Chapter 2**_

It had been an open shut case. The victim cooperated and told the detectives everything they needed to know. Of course, typical domestic violence victim, she had barely reported the incidents, she hadn't gone to the hospital to check for her bruises but they did have neighbor testimony and confirmation from her coworkers. It took a while for Sonny and Gia to break the guy. Sonny had tried his approach first of empathizing with him on a male-to-male level but once Rosa saw that he wasn't budging, she tried a different approach.

The Lieutenant watched through the one-way mirror as her new detective worked the perpetrator. She was impressed, Gia stood at five-foot-eight, much like her and in typical Latina fashion she had a curvy frame. There was no denying that Detective Giovanna Rosa was easy on the eyes and Olivia was sure that Joshua Lawrence was attracted to her. In the end, all it took was for Gia to say something "slick" and it sent him fuming, reaching for her hair, and giving it a strong tug sending her stumbling backwards. Olivia was about to enter the interrogation room when she heard the crackling of broken cartilage. Gia had elbowed his nose and freed herself from his grip whilst Carisi body slammed him against the table. They had everything they needed, now to call their ADA.

Executive Assistant District Attorney Casey Novak had been assigned to the Special Victim's Unit for a little over ten years. She had been fresh out of law school and thrown in with the big fish. She had been preceded by one of the greatest—at least in the squad's opinion—and at first, they hated her. She was young, impulsive, and wanted to be there when she wasn't needed. Now, she was another member of the family. Casey was called by the Lieutenant and met her at her office. Olivia was sure to bring her up to speed with what had happened and comforted her when she had let her know that he was the one that fisted Gia's hair and that now, they needed to add another charge on top of the victim's.

"So, let's meet this new Detective, Liv," Casey said as she collected her attaché.

"You know," Olivia, said with an impish smile, "she's definitely your type, Case," Olivia finished, tittering to herself.

"What?" Casey asked, knitting her brow.

"You heard me, Casey," Olivia mumbled.

"Liv, she's my Detective now," Casey stood and fixed her skirt, "No fraternizing," she mentioned matter-of-factly.

"Like that ever stopped Alex and I," she said, giggling.

"Olivia Margaret Benson," Casey said, feigning surprise.

Olivia scoffed and exited her office with Casey hot on her heels, "Carisi, Rosa," she called for the Detectives that were bantering whilst buried in the paperwork.

Carisi turned with his chair, "Hey, Counselor," he said, greeting the beautiful redhead.

"Hey Carisi, care to tell me what the hell happened in there?" She asked, raising her brow.

"Do you want to take over partner?" He asked his partner across from him.

Casey diverted her stare to the bronzed beauty across from Carisi, _Jesus Christ, Liv wasn't kidding when she said she's my type_.

Gia stood, "It's a pleasure to meet you, Counselor," _Wow, those eyes._

"T—The pleasure is mine Detective…" Casey trailed off.

"Giovanna Rosa, you can call me Gia," she said with a smile.

Gia proceeded to recount what had happened in the interrogation room but Casey could only focus on how Gia's lips moved when she talked, how she bit her lip when she was in thought, how she smirked when she felt triumphant, and how those eyes, how those heterochromatic eyes lingered over Casey's lips and her own curled into a smile, _Wait, is she really staring at my lips? No, she couldn't be; could she?_

"Casey?" Olivia called, "Case!"

"Uh, yea, sorry," Casey mumbled.

"Carisi asked if you had enough for an indictment without a Grand Jury?" Olivia parroted the question.

"Unless you plea him out, Counselor," Gia suggested.

All three turned to look at the Detective in awe, "What?" Carisi said.

"I mean, think about it Sonny," she tried to reason with her partner, "if this goes to trial, he might be let off the hook. It's the first arrest that has stuck and nothing is broken. If Novak pleas him out, we can at least have him on probation and we can grant the order of protection."

Sonny looked at her and smiled, "You sure you're not the one that took the bar?"

Gia giggled, "Ultimately, it's your decision, Counselor," she motioned her hand towards Casey.

 _Oh she's good, how could I say no? She makes a good argument._ "Alright, let's talk to the victim and see what she would like to do."

With that Casey, Sonny, and Gia left to the interview room and explained the situation to Christa. At first she was hesitant but after a little convincing she agreed to the deal that Casey was about to offer Joshua. The three of them left to the interrogation room and as an immediate reflex, Gia pulled her hair up into a bun to avoid a mishap like the one before. They spoke to his Defense attorney and he accepted the deal of six months in prison with a three-year probationary period and he was notified that a five-year protection order was in effect and that he was not to come within five hundred yards of the victim. All in all, it had been a good first day for Gia.

"Guys, it's six o'clock, how about we go to The Pony Bar for some drinks?" offered Fin.

"I'm down if you all are," said Casey, looking towards Olivia.

They all agreed and left towards the bar. Casey rode with Olivia, Fin with Amanda, and Carisi with Gia. They were silent the entire ride but Gia couldn't control her thoughts. She thought about Casey and that fiery red hair, those plump pink lips, and those expressive emerald eyes. She couldn't deny that Counselor Novak was a beautiful sight, _What am I doing? I have someone already._ Gia scoffed at the thought of her someone; the same someone that hadn't touched her, meaningfully, in a little over a year, the same someone who had beaten and emotionally abused her, _that_ someone.

They sat together in a booth towards the back, sharing field stories; Fin's first bust, Amanda's first time firing a gun, Carisi's time at the Academy, Olivia's first case at SVU, Casey's first win ever, and Gia… well she remained silent. She was the baby of the group and to her; all of their stories were impressive and intimidating. Even though her jacket spoke for her self, she was never one to boast. Fin, Amanda, and Carisi shared one side of the booth and Olivia, Casey, and Gia shared the other side. They were deep in conversation when this drunken customer approached the table where the Detectives all sat.

"Excuse me," he slurred carefully.

The Detectives ignored him thinking he was speaking to someone else. It wasn't until he placed a hand on Gia's shoulder that they directed their attention to the guy. Casey noticed the hold Gia had on her beer and the slight shake of her hand, "Excuse me," he repeated.

"Yes," Gia smiled, shrugging his hand off of her shoulder.

"C—Can I buy you a d—drink?" he slurred once more.

"No, thank you."

"Oh, come on. How about your name?"

"No."

"But—"

"Hey," Casey growled, "she said 'no'."

He raised his hands in front of him and stumbled forward to leave. Before anyone could address what had happened, Gia's phone ringed. She excused her self from the table and answered her call, "Way to get protective, Case," Olivia teased.

Casey nudged her and felt her face grow florid, "Liv, stop," she giggled, hiding her face.

"Oh Casey, you got it bad huh?" Fin joined in the teasing.

"Ask her out," Amanda chimed in, "I saw the way she looked at you back at the precinct."

"No, you guys," Casey begun, "I barely know her, plus, it's her first day!"

"So?" Carisi asked, "She's my partner, like Amanda, I too saw the way she looked at you."

Casey was about to say something when she returned to the table, "I'm sorry guys, I have to go. Family emergency," she said, shooting a look to Olivia, "I'll see you guys tomorrow," she finished, tossing two twenty dollar bills on the table to cover for her drink and some of the table's. She left hastily and Casey recognized that wild look on her face.

Arriving at her mother's in time limit she knocked on the door, "What's wrong with Beau?"

"She's running a fever," Cristina said, passing the infant to her mother's arms, "She's teething, nothing to worry about."

"Oh, my sweet angel," Gia said, caressing the cheek of her daughter.

"If she's anything like your brother and you, you'll sleep peacefully through the night but if she's like your sister," her mother tittered, "just be sure to sleep next to her."

Gia bit her lip, "Great," she mumbled, "Thank you mami, I'll see you tomorrow," she kissed her mother goodbye, "Love you."

With that she gathered her belongings and left. The drive back to her apartment she was completely nervous. She knew that if Beau cried and fussed in the night, Samantha would be upset and that was the last thing she needed. She got to her apartment and made it upstairs and inside. She quickly opened the drawer and placed her gun and shield and locked it up before making her way to the established nursery. She gave Beau some medicine and placed some baby Orajel on her gums and lain her down to sleep. She took a shower and prepared something quick for Sam to eat when she arrived later on in the night.

She woke up to cries, her daughter's cries. She rushed out of the bed, into the nursery, and cradled her to her body. She gave her some more medicine and changed her diaper and applied more Orajel to her gums. In the process, Sam barged in the room.

"SHUT HER THE FUCK UP!" she shouted, back handing Gia straight in the face, breaking the skin of her lip.

"Jesus, Sam," Gia said behind watery eyes, "I have work in the morning, I'll get her to settle."

"Fucking do it," Sam said, delivering another slap across her face.

Gia winced and fell to the ground, thankful that Beau was lying on the changing table. Sam sauntered back to the room and Gia sniffled and stood, picking her daughter up and getting ready to nurse her. Her tears fell silently down her face, where the sting of the slap burned her to her core.

How could she be so weak? How could a cop be so weak? No, forget that; how could a SVU Detective be so weak? Was it because she knew that the possible outcome of it all could possibly discredit her? Was it because she knew that if she ever took this to court and Sam revealed her past her colleagues would never look at them the same? She didn't know but she didn't want to find out either. She thought and wonder what would her life be like if she had someone that loved her truly. She thought about Casey and those soft supple lips. _What? Casey?_

Beau settled after a full stomach and Gia dared not to return to her bed, instead she slept in the recliner in Beau's nursery. She cuddled with her daughter until her phone rang against her thigh. She noticed it was time to get ready for work. She got up and performed her morning routine. It wasn't until she noticed her busted lip and slight bruised cheek that she knew that this was the beginning of the excuses. She needed new ones and believable ones too. She sobbed softly whilst her shower ran, _How could this be happening again? What have I done wrong?_ She pondered on the "what ifs" and the "could be's" and her body went on full autopilot. She prepared her daughter's bag and exited the apartment.

Of course her mother and father had questions to her new facial additions but even though they knew the cause behind it, their daughter had assured them that it wasn't anything that she couldn't handle. And, to some extent, it was true but she really didn't know the length of Sam's rage. She had never broken anything before only bruised and marked her.

She ate her breakfast and nursed her child, leaving for the precinct by foot once more. At the precinct she kept her head low, shielding her face with her hair. She sat at her desk and began her work, going through files that belonged to other team members. By eight thirty, the bullpen was completely full of chatter and passing members.

"Hey, Gia," Amanda said.

"Morning," she mumbled back, not once lifting her head up.

Amanda furrowed her brow and approached her slowly, placing an arm on her shoulder which caused the younger woman to flinch and nearly jump out of her bones, "Sorry," Gia said, "You scared me."

Amanda widened her eyes once she saw the light bruise and cut lip, "What the hell happened to you?"

"Uh," Gia thought of what she could say, "I uh, fell last night on my way home. You know I left the bar in a haste," she gave her an apologetic smile.

Before Amanda could answer, Carisi made his way from the media room, catching a glimpse of his partner. He placed his belongings atop his desk and made way over to Gia and grabbed her chin, examining her face, "Who did this to you, huh?"

Gia looked into Carisi's icy blue eyes, "I'm fine Sonny, I promise."

"Who did what to who?" Olivia chimed in, crossing the threshold accompanied by Casey.

 _Just what I fucking needed_ , "Nothing," Gia mumbled quickly.

"Gia!" Casey exclaimed at the look of her face.

"I'm ok, Counselor. I just fell last night," she said smiling, retrieving her face from Carisi's grasp.

 _Yea right and I can fly a plane just as well as I can prosecute a rapist_ , "Gia," she mumbled once more as she approached the woman. The look of genuine concern in those green eyes shook Gia to her core.

Everybody just stood there, not saying anything just assessing the situation. If they really thought she was in danger, they would've pushed harder for her to say something. If they really knew how bad it was bound to get that day, they could've pushed and pushed until she finally broke but they didn't. All they did was stare at her and at each other, especially at their Lieutenant who never said a word. Olivia stared between her and Casey, her best friend, the one and only that had shared her experience with domestic abuse. She knew what was going on but was she really in a position to say anything, something…

The blaring of Gia's line broke everyone from their thoughts, "Manhattan Special Victims, Detective Rosa," she spoke by the second ring.

She jotted down some information, "Yes, thank you, we're on our way."

"What do we have?" Carisi said, looking to her eyes.

"Thirteen-year-old locked in her home bathroom, mother says she's been in there since seven and won't come out. Uni that just gave the information says that she's very apprehensive of males at the moment, to send female detectives," Gia looked at Amanda for confirmation.

Amanda smiled and nodded, "We got it, Lieutenant," she said, walking over to her desk and collecting her coat, "You coming Rosa, or what?"

Gia shuffled to her feet collecting her coat and walking out with Amanda.

Amanda knew better than to push someone into talking and even if this was just her second day with the unit, she still didn't want anyone messing with her coworker. Amanda recognized the signs and the hesitation and apprehension, she'd been working SVU for a couple of years now and her own experience told her that this was not just a simple fall but how to bring it up? How to get her to trust her, they weren't partners, they were coworkers. She remembered how hard it was for her to open up to Fin about her gambling problems but if it weren't for Fin, God knows where she'd be right now.

"You know, I can hear you thinking," Gia broke the silence in a joking matter, shooting a smile Amanda's way.

Amanda scoffed and smiled, nodding her head, "I was just wondering..."

"Rollins," Gia said, turning in her seat, "come out with it. You don't give me the vibe of someone who beats around the bush."

Rollins looked at the woman next to her, "You're right, I'm not but what's the point if you're just going to lie?"

 _Damn, was it really that noticeable?_


	3. Chapter 3

**WARNING: Mentions and description of sexual assault. Proceed with caution.**

* * *

 _ **Chapter 3**_

They arrived at the home before Gia could really say anything. She thought about what Amanda had said to her in the car, what _was_ the point if she was just going to lie? Could she really trust her with such information without talking to her partner first? I mean, could she really trust Rollins with this without her saying something to their Lieutenant? She couldn't risk it, she needed to keep it quiet for as long as she could and she needed to control Sam before anything else could happen.

"Detective Rollins, this is my partner Detective Rosa," they showed their badges to a couple of the uniforms on the outside, "where's the victim?"

"She's still in the bathroom, Detective," the uniform addressed Amanda, "her mother, Leticia Holcombe, woke her daughter, Lexie for school and went downstairs to start breakfast. She noticed that after an hour she still hadn't come down to eat so she decided to go up and check on her but she was locked in claiming that she was raped and no amount of showering could ever make her clean again," the officer said as he escorted them both through the household and up the stairs to where Lexie was locked in.

"Alright, thanks, we got it from here," Amanda said matter-of-factly, "You want Lexie and I'll take the mother?"

"Uh, sure," Gia said. She watched as Amanda took the trembling mother downstairs until she was out of sight.

She knocked on the door, " _Go away!_ " she heard the muffled sound come from inside.

"Hey Lexie, my name is Detective Giovanna Rosa. I'm with the Special Victim's Unit, do you want to tell me what happened?"

" _No, you'll laugh at me and be disgusted with what I have to say,_ " came the voice again from the inside.

"No sweetheart, no I won't. You see, it's my job to listen to you and make sure you are comfortable through and through," she waited to see if there was a response but nothing, "How about, you open the door and let me in, just you and me, ok?" Nothing, "Lexie? Sweetie, can you hear me? Let me in so that we can talk, just the two of us. You can tell me whatever it is you want me to hear and I promise you, I won't laugh or make you say anything you don't want to. Please?"

A couple of minutes went by and finally she heard the locks turn, _Yes, thank you Lord_. The girl on the inside was pale, she looked disheveled and her eyes were red-rimmed with all the crying that she must've done, "Hi," Gia said.

"Hi," Lexie mumbled, opening the door to let her in. Once inside she shut the door once more and sat on the toilet lid.

"Lexie," Gia mumbled softly, "can you tell me what happened? Your mom says that you told her that you were raped."

Lexie nodded, "It happened yesterday, after swim practice," she was already beginning to cry. The wound was fresh and Gia felt guilty for making her relive it all, "I was in the lockers getting changed. Usually, I am the first one out but yesterday I took my time," she sniffled and wiped away some tears from her face.

"It's ok sweetheart, take your time," Gia cooed.

She nodded, "By the time I was out of the lockers, it was only him and I. He told me how much better I was getting and that if I continued to practice more and more, I could be the starter for the next meet in two months. I told him that it was because he was such a great coach, that he never gave up on us, and he always knew what to say to make us really think if we wanted it as bad as he wanted it for us," she was openly sobbing now and Gia could tell that Lexie was blaming herself for this.

"Lexie, take it easy honey. Take a deep breath and then tell me what happened next," she coaxed softly.

Lexie did as she was bid and continued, "I swear I didn't want it," she looked at the Detective with fresh tears in her eyes, "I didn't but he—he said t—that in order to prove to him that I was serious about the meet I—I had to."

"It's ok sweetie, it's ok; I know it's not your fault," Gia reached out slowly, giving Lexie the time she needed to back away if she needed to, when she didn't Gia placed her hand in the middle of the girl's back and rubbed soothing circles on it, "Go on, what happened then?"

"When I said no, that it was fine if I wasn't a starter on the next meet he pushed me against the bleachers and reached inside my sweats. He pulled them down and—and—" it was obvious she couldn't continue. Gia pulled her into her embrace and shushed her, easing her to calm down.

"And what Lexie?" Gia asked, swallowing and fighting hard against her own emotions.

Lexie sniffled and sat up straight, wiping her tears from her eyes, "He moved my underwear to the side and he pushed himself on me. I told him to stop," she whispered, "I told him no but all he said was, 'Shut your mouth, you know you like it.' When he was done, I was bleeding but I just told my mom that I had just gotten my period."

Gia looked at the distraught girl, "Ok, Lexie," she said softly, "I need to know who _him_ is and we have to take you the hospital now. We have to get you checked out, sweetheart."

Her eyes widen in fear, "What if he comes for me?"

"I won't let that happen Lexie, I promise and I will be there with you every step of the way," Gia assured her.

Lexie hesitated for a second before standing, "Ok, I'm ready," she said, hugging herself, "Thank you Detective Rosa," she finished with a sheep smile. She wavered for a second and bit her lip, "Benjamin Stephens, that's the name of my coach, the one who r—raped me."

Gia gave her a warm smile, "It's my pleasure, Lexie. Thank you!"

Gia and Lexie made their way downstairs where Amanda continued to speak with the mother of the victim. Upon seeing her mother, Lexie cried before her mother enveloped her in a warm embrace. They notified the mother to follow the patrol car to Mercy General in order to get her daughter checked and perform the correct and proper exams. In the car, Gia briefed Amanda and told her everything that Lexie had disclosed to her. Once at the hospital the detectives sat and waited for their Lieutenant and rest of the squad to brief them on what had happened back at the home.

"Rollins—Rosa," Olivia's voice caught them off guard.

"Lieutenant," they stood as they approached her.

"Great job guys, that was really a good job," the Lieutenant praised her detectives.

"Did she disclose who did this to her?" Carisi chimed in.

Gia nodded, "Benjamin Stephens, her swim coach."

"We'll get right on it, Lieutenant," Carisi said, motioning to Fin.

The squad continued to work the case. Amanda and Gia stood by Lexie's side and the Lieutenant helped them every way she could. They escorted Lexie and her mother back to the precinct where they took their statement in an official matter. Lexie struggled through her statement but her story remained the same. They had a credible witness and now they needed the accused to show up. Fin and Carisi had ran him through the Police Database and had found his address in Washington Heights on W 189th but had turn up with an empty apartment. They didn't have probable cause so they could not enter the dwelling, it was like he knew he was being chased and had disappeared. The team had paused their search and had gone to lunch, each of them settling for something.

Gia pondered on whether or not she should let Carisi in. He was her partner and sooner or later, she had to tell him about her daughter. It would come up and there's nothing worse than to think that your partner does not trust you. She smiled his way, "Want to go grab lunch once Fin and Amanda are back?"

"Uh, yea, what do you want?" he asked.

"Actually, how about a home cooked meal? My parents live a ten-minute walk from here plus, there's someone I want you to meet," she smiled coyly causing Carisi to raise his brow, "It's nothing like that Dom," she giggled.

"Is that what you're calling me now?" he smirked.

Gia stumbled with her words, afraid that she had upset him, "I—I'm sorry."

Carisi softened his face, "It's ok, I don't mind it," he conceded.

She nodded and returned to her paperwork.

Once Fin and Amanda returned Gia and Carisi announced they were leaving and would be back in forty-five. They walked to the apartment building and rode to the eighth floor. She knocked powerfully thrice and the door slung open revealing a smiling Gil, "Dad, I would like for you to meet Detective Sonny Carisi," she said, looking between the two males, "Carisi, this is my father, Major Gilberto Rosa."

Carisi looked at his partner and raised his eyebrows, "You never told me your father served in the force and a Major at that."

"I'm telling you now, Dom. He started as a cop and climbed up the ladder. He was Marine Patrol in Miami-Dade," she finished crossing the threshold.

"It's a pleasure to meet your, Sir," Carisi said, extending his arm.

"Pleasure is all mine, Detective. Please, sit."

"Where's mami?" Gia asked.

"Changing Beau's diaper," he waved his hand in front of his nose, eliciting a chuckle from Gia.

"I'll go help," she mumbled as she stood, "You'll be ok with my dad?" She asked Carisi with a smirk on her face.

Carisi nodded and smiled, watching his partner disappear through the hallway, "Who's Beau?"

Gil looked stunned at said question but then remembered his daughter had trust issues and if he was here already, meeting them for the first time must mean that she was beginning to trust him, "You'll see," he said.

Not too long after that statement was made, Gia emerged with an infant in her arms, followed by an older woman that resembled her daughter. Carisi stood, "I—Is she your daughter?"

Gia nodded, "This is Beau Jolie," she said, rubbing her daughter's belly, "would you care to hold her whilst I help my mother in the kitchen?"

Carisi nodded, dumbfounded at what had just happened. He gently took the infant in his arms and bounced her slightly, "He's a natural, huh papi?" Gia tittered.

"Yea, maybe he should put her to sleep when she's being stubborn like her mother," Carisi and Gil chuckled at the statement and Gia rolled her eyes as she made way to the kitchen.

She helped her mother set the plates and guided every body to the table where they shared stories of Giovanna's childhood and when she decided to become a cop, like her father. They talked about her siblings—Gregory and Gemma—and their occupations, they talked about Carisi's sisters and how he grew up in church, a trait that Cristina found incredibly honorable in the man. If she didn't know her daughter's sexual preferences, she would've been more than glad to accept this man into their family, but nothing was stopping her from doing so. He was already breaking bread with them so, why not?

Carisi insisted in helping clearing the table and with the dishes as well. Gia took the opportunity that Carisi was in the kitchen with her mother and sat and nursed her daughter. She wasn't particularly shy when it came to the activity and she almost forgot her chest was exposed when Carisi made his way from the kitchen. She attempted to hide her florid face before shuffling to find a burp cloth to throw over her chest and slightly cover the breast, which her daughter was latched to. Carisi shook his head and gave her an understanding look. She sighed and relaxed, finishing nursing the infant and cradling her over her shoulder to burp her. Once finished, they bid farewell to her parents and were on their way back to the precinct.

"Beau is beautiful, she resembles you," Carisi begun once on the sidewalk.

Gia gave him a sheep smile, "Thank you, I'm sorry I didn't mention her sooner. I was just scared, I guess."

"Scared? Of what?" he questioned.

Gia sighed; she knew it was now or never. How could she ask Carisi to trust her with his life if she couldn't even trust him with a secret that really wasn't a secret but it was to her. Her parents didn't know the facts of how she came about being pregnant; they just thought she went through a donor. She braced herself and took a deep breath, "Dom, what I'm about to tell you, no one can know. I told Olivia about it because, unfortunately, it is in my jacket and available only to my commanding officer. Even if I never told her, she would've known so I just bit the bullet first."

Carisi was beginning to get nervous but he nodded nonetheless, "You can trust me, Gia," he said, squeezing her shoulder.

"I was doing a stint undercover in Narcotics to uncover a ring that was using young girls as mules. I was recruited to do a drop but I gave them a few pointers to improve their operation and once they saw that they did work I was then "promoted" to recruit the girls, which obviously were girls from the Academy and other female officers. One night, the head of the operation invited me to a party and afterwards I stayed, thinking I could gather information. He began getting pushy and, uh… he, uh," she shook her head, willing her tears back, "he r—raped me."

"WHAT?" Carisi nearly shouted.

Gia nodded and bit her lip furiously, "Oh, Gia… wait, is Beau his?"

Gia nodded again, "My parents don't know and it would kill them if they knew and I don't want any one at the precinct to know just yet, please. I already have them looking at me with pity because of this," she motioned to her face, chuckling sarcastically.

Carisi placed a hand on her shoulder, urging her to stop, "I'm serious Gia, if you ever need anything, I am here for you. I'm your partner; I will kill the bastard that's doing this to you. I won't let him get away with this."

Gia began walking and leaned into Carisi, nudging him on his side playfully, "Thanks Dom but this," she motioned again to her face, "it's not a man. God, I don't even like men like _that_ ," she said, shaking the thoughts from her head.

"Huh?"

"I'm gay, Dom," she said, shoving her hands deep in her pockets.

"Oh, I never would've gue—actually, once I saw the look you gave Casey, I think I knew," Carisi smirked once he caught the look on his partner's face, "Relax, your secret is safe with me."

She wanted to say something but her sound box seemed broken. They made it to the precinct just in time to see Fin and Rollins leave, "Where to guys?"

"He showed up at the natatorium. The manager called us saying he was there after we went by earlier. We're on our way to pick him up," Rollins said in one breath before disappearing inside of a squad car.

Both Carisi and Rosa nodded and went inside in a hurry, "Lieu," Carisi shouted, noticing Casey was there as well, "Rollins just told us. We have the warrant for his arrest, Counselor?"

Casey nodded and smiled at the sight of the raven-haired Detective, "Good job on the disclosure, Detective," she said, brushing past Gia.

"T—Thanks Counselor," Gia said shyly, attempting to hide her face in her hair.

Olivia and Carisi stood together with an amused look on their faces, "What?" she asked defensively.

"Nothing," Olivia said with an imp smile on her face, "Why don't you guys meet Fin and Rollins at the natatorium and interview some of the other students to see if there's a pattern. And, talk to the parents; they might have noticed something."

The detectives nodded in approval and immediately left.

Carisi couldn't hide his amusement at the short exchange that had happened back at the bullpen and Olivia hadn't been privy of it either. These two were burning for each other, or at least, were attracted enough that two members of the squad could notice it. Here they thought that they were keeping their feelings in check, Casey because of mere professionalism and Gia because well, she was involved with Sam. Carisi kept shooting glances over to the bronzed beauty sitting next to him, "Quit it Sonny, I know what you're trying to do," she said smiling.

They continued their travels to the natatorium. Upon their arrival, they noticed that Fin and Rollins were in the process of dragging Benjamin Stephens outside and placing him in the back of a police car and telling them to take him straight to the precinct. Carisi and Rosa caught up to them and explained what the Lieutenant had asked them to do. They agreed that since it was an all girls' class, Rollins and Rosa were the ones best equipped to handle any possible disclosures. Fin and Carisi returned to the house and decided to interrogate Stephens together.


	4. Chapter 4

_**Chapter 4**_

"Ms. Novak, your next witness," said the Honorable Judge Lena Petrovsky.

"I call Detective Giovanna Rosa to the stand," Casey beamed through the courtroom.

It had been three months since the case against Benjamin Stephens had fallen upon the one-six. Three months that they had worked, prepped, and solidified this case for Casey's prosecution. They were sure that nothing could wrong since it was airtight. It had also been three months since Sam's abuse against Giovanna had grown; every day she would be more jumpy, more touchy, and more bruised and battered. Today, she had to testify in behalf of the prosecution and the yellow-green bruise underneath her eye was sure to catch the eye of everyone in the jury, the Judge, the Defense, and of course, her redheaded crush.

She walked poised past the pews in her tight black, high waist pencil skirt, crème colored long sleeve blouse, and rose strappy, heeled sandals. Casey swallowed hard, forcing moisture into her mouth as the raven-haired Detective pass her by. _Jesus, how am I supposed to concentrate with her looking like this? And, she smells divine._ Casey watched as the bailiff swore the Detective in and afterwards Casey needed to concentrate, she needed to perform in order to get justice for the three girls that had stepped forward, including Lexie Holcombe.

"May you state your name and occupation for the record," Casey begun from behind the prosecution desk.

"Detective Second Grade Giovanna Rosa for Manhattan's Special Victims Unit," Gia said matter-of-factly as she crossed her legs at the witness stand.

"Detective Rosa, were you working on the morning of October the fifth?"

"Yes, I was."

"Can you recount the events of the morning?" Casey asked as she moved through the courtroom.

 _Not if you keep looking at me that way I can't Counselor,_ "I received a phone call from one of the officers of the local precinct stating that they had a thirteen-year-old female locked in her house bathroom, she was apprehensive of male officers to please send female officers."

"Upon arrival, what did you encounter?" Casey asked.

"Detective Rollins and I arrived at the scene where Officer Steele briefed us of the situation. Once we knew what we were possibly encountering, Detective Rollins took the mother's statement and I was directed to the upstairs bathroom where Lexie was locked in," Gia recounted gently.

"Then what happened?"

"I introduced myself through the door and talked for a little bit until she was no longer apprehensive of my presence and she grant me access to the inside of the bathroom."

"What happened next?" Casey led gracefully.

"Lexie recounted the events of her prior day, stating the events that had occurred after her swim practice. She disclosed that she had been the last one to leave the lockers, something unusual in her, when she ran into the Defendant Benjamin Stephens. She told me that she paused to converse with Mr. Stephens when things started to get uncomfortable."

"What else did she disclose, Detective?"

"She disclosed that it was then when the Defendant forced his self upon her," Gia said, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear.

"Thank you, Detective," Casey mumbled, a smile gracing her beautiful features.

Gia waited for the cross examination from the Defense. This wasn't her first time on the stand, she had done it many a time when working in Narcotics back in Miami but this was her first time being cross examined whilst working in Sex Crimes. Drugs and money were a different ball game than rape. The facts with narcotics were black and white, everything was there, it was in the books but in sex crimes all you had was the testimony of both parties and if at any point their credibility was shot the case was over; regardless of the truth and what really _did_ happen. She had to be careful and she couldn't be reckless on the stand as she often times was. This was for Lexie and the two other victims; she needed to this for them.

"Good morning Detective Rosa," begun Defense attorney Roger Kressler, "we haven't had the pleasure of meeting before, how long have you been working with SVU?"

"About three months," she answered, her back straight and eyes boring into the attorney.

"And, this was your second case and second day on the job, correct?" Kressler asked smugly.

"No, not on the job, _with_ SVU. There's a difference Counselor," she replied back.

"Ah," he said, turning around and pacing, "could you tell us what it is you did before your time at SVU?"

Gia repositioned herself and looked at the Defense's table where she caught a glimpse of… _Is that my jacket? Why in hell does he have my jacket? Is he… is he trying to disclose my rape in open court? No, he cannot. He can't, no._

"Detective Rosa," he interrupted her frantic thoughts, "could you tell us what it is you did before your time at SVU?"

Gia looked at Casey and hoped that she understood what she was trying to convey, "Objection, relevance?" Casey growled.

"It goes to this witness credibility, Your Honor," Kressler begun.

"Your Honor, what's more credible than an officer of the law? She's a _decorated_ cop," Casey pled in open court.

Gia on the other hand was looking past Casey and at Olivia, attempting to have a silent conversation. _He has my jacket Liv, I won't discuss my rape in open court._

Olivia, understanding what her subordinate was trying to convey, glanced at the Defense's table and indeed saw a copy of the Detective's jacket. _How the fuck did he get that?_

Gia was beyond nervous. This had never happened before, why was this happening now? She looked between Carisi and Olivia, attempting to find comfort in them whilst Casey and Kressler debated their points to Judge Petrovsky.

Petrovsky banged her gavel, "All right, enough. The objection is sustained and you _will_ move on Mr. Kressler," Petrovsky said with conviction.

Gia breathed easily… for now. She glanced back at Casey who had her back turned and was murmuring something with Olivia, "Your Honor, approach?"

The Judge sported a look of confusion in her face but acquiesced nonetheless. Gia watched as they murmured angrily with each other until they weren't any longer. Casey returned to her desk and Kressler returned to his, "No more questions for this witness, Your Honor," and with that he sat, looking defeated.

Gia was now shaking in her seat; she was overpowered by fear and nervousness. Not even facing her coworkers the morning after a slap or a punch was as nerve wracking as what she was currently experiencing. Once the Judge gave her the ok to step down, she did so in a hurry, exiting to the left of the witness stand. She heard faintly the Judge say that they would reconvene tomorrow at nine sharp. Once she was out of sight, she breathed deeply, running her fingers through her hair and scratching at her scalp in soothing motions. She felt a hand on her shoulder and jumped into the air, turning to see who had startled her; Carisi, Olivia, and Casey were all staring at her in concern. She took a few shaky breaths and her tears were fast coming down her face.

"It's going to be ok, Gia," Carisi stepped forward slowly, "You're ok, you're ok," he said, easing his way to the disturbed woman.

She nodded and closed the space between them, crashing her body with his. In three months, he had become a pillar for comfort, a friend, a brother, and her partner in crime… They had lunch together almost every day they worked, they became closer and closer; it was a match made in heaven and neither of them could be happier.

It broke Casey's heart to watch the bronzed beauty breakdown in such fashion. Olivia had only told her that Kressler had gotten possession of her police jacket and that there was information in said jacket that she had knowledge of but she knew for sure that Gia did not want any one else to know unless she wanted them to.

Olivia didn't go into specifics and she didn't need to, Casey understood and the need and want to protect this woman took over. Casey argued to the Judge about Kressler's tactics only for them to be rebutted by his argument of Garcia v. Superior Court, an argument that Casey knew too well. She let him finish and once he did she went for the kill, stating that she found the cockamamie defense tactic one to be irrelevant, unless the Defendant had something to do with the involvement of narcotics in which case, she would be bringing forth new charges against him as well. Judge Petrovsky chuckled and sided with the prosecution, not because of Casey but because she too agreed that whatever was in that jacket was immaterial to the Defense's case.

Carisi soothed his fellow Detective and Casey would've sold her Bar license just to have the woman flushed against her skin like she was with Carisi. Olivia saw the internal battle that her friend was having and cleared her throat, snapping the Detectives from their embrace. Gia stepped back and approached Casey, enveloping Casey in a warm hug, "Thank you Casey," she said against the skin of her cheek; her lips lightly grazing the redhead's earlobe.

"No need to thank me, silly," Casey giggled as she tightened her arms around the woman, inhaling her sweet scent.

Olivia let the women be enraptured in their feelings for a while when she felt her phone vibrate against her side; she stepped to the side and took the call, "Benson," she mumbled into the receiver.

It was Fin, " _Hey Liv, we need you back at the house. ACS just brought a girl in here, we need Gia._ "

"Need Gia? For what?" Olivia asked, confused.

" _Girl only speaks Spanish and ACS sent their translator home. Apparently they won't be able to find another one until tomorrow and we need to get this statement,_ " Fin chirped from the other side.

"Uh," Olivia watched for Gia's demeanor. Was she really ready to jump back in there after a meltdown? "We're on our way Fin, thanks!"

Olivia approached her colleagues once more, "Guys," she said, tucking her phone in her coat pocket, "We have a victim back at the house."

Gia wiped her tears, "Let me get my coat and I'll meet you outside," she said as she passed by her partner and commanding officer.

"Uh, I'll come with," Casey said, following her.

They walked in silence until they reached the room where Gia was being kept at, her purse and coat sitting atop the table in the center of the room. Casey entered and shut the door behind her, "May I speak with you?"

"Huh?" Gia turned around.

Casey approached her, placing her attaché on the table, "Gia," she said softly, "when are you going to tell us who is doing this to you?" she said as she caressed the green and yellow bruise underneath her eye. _She's so soft._

 _Casey, please, I can't; she'll kill me,_ "Counselor," Gia breathed out shakily, "I'm fine, it's nothing I cannot handle," she smiled sheepishly at the redhead in front of her. She noticed her emerald eyes dancing across her face.

"You deserve so much better," Casey breathed out. _You deserve someone who will treat you like I would treat you._

"Is that a fact or a personal opinion, Casey?" Gia's smile grew with amusement. _Hopefully both,_ she thought to herself.

Casey tittered, never once stopping the motion her thumb had on the other woman's face, "It's a fact," _And a personal opinion too_ , "Don't we all deserve a chance to be happy?"

"We do, but sometimes life has other plans for us," Casey could hear the sorrow and pain behind the words of the woman and she could only berate herself further.

"True," Casey said, bringing her body closer to the other woman's, "I just know that if you were mine, there would never be a painful tear, an unloving bruise, or pain hiding behind your eyes," Casey was standing so close to Gia that she could smell her shampoo: pineapple-mango. The smell was divine, just like the sight before her eyes.

Gia stared into deep pools of green, all of the words the redheaded woman had said resonating deep within her brain. She believed everything Casey was saying, she believed her tears would be nothing but ones filled with laughter and happiness, all the bruises would be from new experiences and love making, and her eyes would always glisten in joy and love for the other woman. She believed it. She felt it in her touch and the proximity Casey had against her. She could smell Casey's sweet scented perfume engulf her nostrils and it was intoxicating. Her mind was swimming, she couldn't think properly, she couldn't move; all she did was stare at the woman in front of her and those menacing green eyes. The same green eyes that stared back at her brown and hazel ones, the same green that held such love for her, _Wait, love?_

Gia's phone buzzed in her purse bringing them both back from their trance. They hadn't notice they had drifted closer, if that could even be possible. Gia's hands rested on Casey's hips and Casey's hands framed Gia's face. It felt right, it felt perfect, too bad it couldn't last, "Rosa," she mumbled when she parted from Casey's envelopment.

" _You coming or what? We're freezing out here,_ " came Carisi's voice from the other end of the line.

Gia giggled, "Jeez, can't a girl pee in peace?"

" _She can if she hurries it up,_ " Carisi quipped.

"I'll be out in five, I promise," and with that she ended the call.

"Go," Casey said, "there's a victim waiting for you. I'll see you tomorrow at nine sharp, I'll be putting the girls in the stand after our noon recess."

"Swing by the precinct and we can all come by together," Gia said, a slight tint of pink covering her cheeks.

Casey didn't miss that and smiled, her pouty lips seeming most pouty when she did, "I will take you up on the offer, _Detective_."

"See you tomorrow then, _Counselor_ ," Gia mumbled as she went past Casey to the door. _What was that Gia? You're in a relationship!_ "A failing one at that," she mumbled to herself.

 _Yea, but you can end that at any time and you know that. What are you really scared of? Casey won't hurt you and you can always stay with your parents until you get back on your feet,_ "I guess," she whispered to herself once more.

Talking to herself had become somewhat therapeutic for her. She could voice her opinions without fear of being reprimanded or shut down for saying something "stupid" or "ridiculous". Samantha's voice in her head was but a faint whisper that she tried to control and keep at bay. She couldn't allow herself to think that nobody would want "damaged goods" like she did because, quote, " _I'm the one who went through it with you, I love you more than anyone can_ " but Gia knew that wasn't true, so why did she allow herself to constantly be abused both physically and mentally? Was she really that weak-minded and easily influenced? No, she wasn't.

Was she afraid of possible rejection? Probably, I mean, who would _really_ want a single gay mother who had been raped and kept and continued to raise her rapist's child? But Beau wasn't just her rapist's child; Beau was hers, fully and wholly. Beau belonged to Gia; Beau was an extension of Gia. The only difference the two bore were the color of their eyes; the texture of their hair, and the color of their skin but other than that, Beau was Gia. Each craved love and complete attention when upset, each loved being between the arms of those who loved them most; they were meant to be together and Gia was more than glad that her daughter was hers and no one else's.

On the ride back to the precinct she thought about what she really wanted. Did she want to continue being miserable or did she want to give her daughter and herself a chance at true happiness? Her daughter was seven-months-old and she didn't want her to grow up in a household where her mother got beaten up by her girlfriend. Jesus, she wasn't even calling Sam her daughter's other mother because in reality, ever since she was born, Sam had wanted nothing to do with child. Gia really didn't understand why Sam had stayed with her in the first place. They weren't intimate and when they were, Gia just pushed through horridness of feeling empty all around. Her arousal was always forced and it was more of a reflex than a desire. She needed to feel happy, wanted, and loved again.

Something had to give.

Something had to change and she was determined on making it happen.

She pulled out her phone and called her mother and asked if she could keep Beau overnight as she had just caught a case and she didn't know when she would be finished. Her mother agreed and let her know that she had plenty of frozen breast milk from her and not to worry. Once she hung up she exited the vehicle and entered the precinct with her partner.

It was bound to get good, everything was going to change; just wait.


	5. Chapter 5

_**Chapter 5**_

Upon entering the bullpen she saw Amanda and their Sergeant talking to a lanky looking fella. She beelined straight to her desk and grabbed a bag with her belongings and excused herself. She went to the bathroom and quickly exchanged her skirt and strap heels for a pair of skinny black slacks and her chunky heeled boots, giving her the flexibility to holster her gun, two pairs of cuffs, and badge securely by her side and back. She entered the bullpen once more and all eyes were on her.

"What?" she asked as she returned to her desk.

"She doesn't speak English, we need you in there with her," Fin spoke.

"Ok," she conceded, "what do we know?"

"Her name is Isabella Castro, she's eight-years-old, and was dropped off at Bellevue Hospital. Once they called ACS and found a translator all she would say is that a man had kept her for two years and the only reason she was there it was because she wouldn't stop bleeding," Carisi intercepted, "Every time a man goes nearby her she tenses and begins to cry and plead."

"Rollins, are you coming with? I'll translate," she smiled at the woman who had become somewhat of a friend over the past three months.

They both walked towards the juvenile interview room. Gia always liked this room; it was where she felt most at peace. They crossed the threshold and Amanda sat down furthest from the kid as possible as to not intimidate her, "Hola Isabella, ¿cómo estás?" Gia asks softly.

The girl looked up at the woman that had knelt in front of her a few feet away, "Bien," she said shyly.

"Isabella, me llamo Giovanna pero me puedes decir Gia," Gia paused, "¿Me podrías decir cómo llegaste al hospital?" she turned to Amanda, "I asked her if she could tell me how did she get to the hospital."

Amanda nodded and Isabella looked behind her, noticing the blonde, "¿Quién es ella?" Isabella asked.

"She's asking who you are," Gia beckoned Amanda forward, "Ella es mi compañera, Detective Amanda."

"Él me dijo que si hablaba con la policía me mataría," she said in a very monotone voice, "Yo no quiero morir," she said, emotion pouring through.

"He told her that if she spoke to the police, he'd kill her. She doesn't want to die she says," Gia repeated as the others watched carefully through the mirror, "Isabella, mi amor, él no te va hacer daño más nunca. Confía en mí, mira, yo tengo una hija y yo daría mi vida por ella; jamás le mentiría. Y, de la misma manera en la cual no le mentiría a mi hija tampoco te mentiría a ti. ¿Me crees?" Gia gave her the most sincere smile she could muster.

Isabella stared at Gia whilst she played with some blocks, "¿Venderías a tu hija por dinero, Gia?" she said, looking down at the blocks.

"She asked if I would sell a daughter for money," Gia explained to the room so the others could hear, "No, primero me vendo yo," Gia swallowed, "Isabella, ¿tú mamá te vendió por dinero?"

"Sí, soy la mayor. Mi hermano, Victor, solo tenía tres años cuando ella me entregó a Jack." Isabella admitted.

"Her mother sold her to a man named Jack when her brother Victor was three, she's the oldest," Gia translated once more, "Y, ¿cuántos añitos tenías tú cuando ella te entregó a Jack?"

"Seis, hace dos años. Jack me dijo que me traía a los Estados Unidos para aprender inglés y así poder conseguir una beca para estudiar en alguna escuela prestigiosa. Para que así en algún futuro poder mandar dinero a Guatemala," the girl was talking now freely with Gia. She seemed at ease with the women in the room.

"She was six when her mother sold her to Jack, it was two years ago. Jack had told her that he would bring her to the States to teach her the language so that she could acquire a scholarship to an elite school so that later in life she could go to college and make money to send to Guatemala," Gia was attempting to hold back her contempt. She was highly upset at Isabella's mother, how could she do that to her own daughter? "Y, ¿qué sucedió cuando llegaste a los Estados Unidos?"

"Los primeros días Jack me compró ropa y me arregló el cabello. Luego, me introdujo a unos amigos y me dijo que a cambio de las lecciones del idioma que me ofrecería gratuitamente, tenía que pagarle haciendo cosas que no quería," Isabella moved to find something else to entertain herself. Gia watched the girl. Now, that she knew where she was from she could see the features come alive. She looked of native Indian descent, she had tanned, golden skin, prominent almond eyes, and shoulder length black, silky tresses.

"The first few days, Jack bought her clothes and fixed her hair. Then, he introduced a few friends to her and told her that in lieu of language lessons he was offering for free she had to repay him by doing things that she didn't want to do," Gia continued, "Isabella, ¿sabes que no es tú culpa todo lo que te ha pasado en estos últimos dos años?"

Isabella nodded and looked over to Gia, "Lo sé," she paused, "Detectiva Rosa, ¿le puedo hacer una pregunta?"

Gia nodded.

"¿Qué va a pasar conmigo? Yo no quiero regresar a Guatemala. Mi madre no me quiere y tampoco quiero regresar con Jack."

"She's asking what will happen to her. She says that she doesn't want to return to Guatemala because her mother doesn't want her and she doesn't want to go with Jack, either," she mumbled freely into the room, "Hablaremos de eso luego pero te aseguro que no te vamos a enviar de regreso a Jack. Isabella, ¿recuerdas dónde vive Jack?"

"No," the girl mumbled, fumbling with some crayons, "solo sé que desde la ventana del ático podía ver un cementerio. Muchas veces rezé y rezé para terminar allí, muerta y libre de dolor."

The girl seemed numb. She didn't flinch or waver at her statements, she was freely telling the Detective her recount of her life in the past two years. But, how? How could she be this stoic, this resilient, and nonchalant? "She doesn't know where Jack lives but she knows that from a window in the attic she could see a cemetery. A lot of times she prayed and prayed to end up there, dead and free of pain," Gia glanced back at the blonde detective. Amanda had her lips pressed together and her jaw clenched even tighter. She wanted this prick; she wanted him bad; they both did, "Y, ¿me puedes describir a Jack?"

There. Emotion. Frightened, nervous, anxious; the girl was exuding emotion and though, Gia felt bad for the girl and was compelled to show some type of affection towards her, she couldn't. She knew that she had to put her emotions aside for a while until they caught the son of a bitch, "Tranquila Isabella, tranquila. Él no te puede hacer daño más nunca. Respira corazón, estás bien y a salvo," Gia gently coaxed the girl until she saw her little body relax and decompress, "Muy bien Isabella, muy bien. Ahora, ¿me lo puedes describir?"

"¿Para qué?"

"Para poder arrestarlo, Isabella," Gia stared at the girl. Those beautifully shaped almond eyes were in a conundrum. She was trying hard to decide whether or not she should trust the detective in front of her. What if they caught him and would give her right back to him? What if they brought him in and he'd say that she was lying and they'd believe him over her? No, she had too much lose, "Isabella, nosotras estamos de tu parte. Pase lo que pase, siempre te vamos a proteger."

Isabella nodded and gave a sheep smile, "Gracias Isabella," Gia said, releasing sigh, "¿Tienes hambre o sed?"

The girl suddenly lit up, "Sí, sí."

"¿Qué deseas comer?" Gia asked, amused by the girl's sudden change in demeanor.

Isabella pondered, "Pizza, por favor."

"Ok, ya vengo," Gia stood and Amanda followed suit.

They exited together through the side and entered the Lieutenant's office, "What happened there at the end?" Carisi asked, eager to know about the exchange.

"I asked her if she could describe Jack for me and she immediately got guarded and clearly upset. I told her that he couldn't harm her any longer and that it was our job to protect her and that's when she asked why did I need her to describe him and I told her so that we could find him and arrest him. She thought about it and she agreed to give us the description of him. She's so smart and well-spoken for her age," Gia trailed off and went into her mind, a blank look covering her eyes.

Carisi stared at her, "H—Hey, Gia," he said, stepping closer to her, "Earth to Rosa," he said, snapping his fingers in front of her.

She shook her head and smiled, "Sorry," she said, "Lieutenant, is it possible to bring a sketch artist in?"

Olivia smiled, "Sure thing, let me make some calls," Olivia mentioned, stepping behind her desk and picking up the phone.

The team exited her office, leaving the Lieutenant to her privacy, "Guys, I offered her food and she asked for pizza, you guys want anything?"

"Veggies," shouted Fin.

"Meat lovers for me!" Amanda beamed.

"Dom, let me guess, chicken and mushrooms?" She asked, a rogue smirk on her mouth.

"This," he pointed at her with his pen, "This is why I love you," he said with conviction, causing her to giggle.

She scoffed and picked up her phone, dialing to their favorite pizza place. She knew her and Olivia shared the same love for BBQ chicken pizza so that was a question that went unasked. Almost half an hour later, the pizza arrived. She paid the delivery kid and proceeded to her Lieutenant's office to check on the status of the sketch artist. She knocked on her superior's door and received the familiar 'come in' from the other side.

"There's pizza in the break room, I got us BBQ chicken," Gia said, giving Olivia a warm smile.

"Ooh, thanks," Olivia said, removing her glasses, "About that sketch artist," she paused and Gia knew that it wasn't good already.

"Oh no, what?" she asked.

"We won't have one until tomorrow. Apparently, there's been a series of burglaries between Queens and Brooklyn and they are being all used up. So, get in there and get her some food, I'll call ACS to see if they have found placement for her, and I'm about to ask Rollins if she's heard back from TARU and the ME's office," Olivia said, standing and pacing to her door.

Gia nodded and made her way to the adjacent interview room. Upon entering, she startled the girl but she quickly apologized and showed her what she was bringing, "Pizza y jugo de manzana."

Isabella stood quickly and hesitated at first, "No te voy a comer Isabella," Gia said with a chuckle, "Anda, ven a comer."

Isabella smiled and complied with the Detective, "Gracias Detective Rosa," the girl said, smiling up at Gia.

"Gia, llámame Gia," the woman said, touching the child ever so slightly.

Isabella nodded and sat with her plate and cup and began eating. Gia exited the room and met the others in the break room. They were engaged in light banter and conversation. Gia picked up a plate and sat next to her partner and picked a slice.

They were all puffed and stuffed when the phone started to ring. Fin stood and picked up the nearest phone to him, redirecting the call. He spoke briefly and muttered his thanks and hung up. He returned, informing that TARU was done with the video surveillance of the hospital and several traffic light cams and were sending the information over. Amanda quickly finished eating and stood to walk over to her desk, plopping down and beginning to work frantically.

Meanwhile, Carisi received a phone call from the ME's office. They cleaned themselves up and quickly made their way down to the ME's office. Upon arrival they were informed that she had at least three different samples of semen left behind and only one was a match to CODIS. Chet Gaines, convicted felon of rape three and active member of the registry. _Of course, what else could you expect of someone who's selling an eight-year-old's body for his pleasure_ , Gia loudly scoffed as the ME went through the evidence. They thanked the ME and made their way back to the precinct. Upon arrival, Olivia let Gia and the rest of the squad know that ACS hadn't found placement for her and she would most likely be spending her time in a shelter which didn't sit right with Gia.

"Uh, Lieutenant," she spoke quickly, "I think I know where she can stay."

Olivia looked relieved, "Ok, where?"

Gia looked at Carisi and silently spoke with him, "Gia's parents, yes!" He said, quickly standing, "Oh, but isn't she reluctant around males?"

Gia chewed on her lip, "Yea but…" _Maybe is the younger looking guys?_ "Let me call my mother first."

Gia noticed the time; it was past nine in the evening. They'd been working this since after court had ended which was nearly five o'clock. Gia dialed her mother's number quickly and to her surprise, she answered. She explained the situation and her mother was more than happy to welcome the child into their home, "It's done Lieutenant, we can drop her off."

"Great!" Olivia said, emphasizing her excitement with her hands, "Let me call her case worker to get all the documentation."

Olivia left the bullpen and entered her office. Whilst Olivia settled the paper trail with ACS, Amanda and Gia took it upon themselves to take the girl to their local CVS and get the child the necessities she needed. They took her with them; it would do her good to be out and about. Isabella stood quiet for the most part, until it came time to try on clothing.

She was shy and dejected and that's when it dawned on the women, _he_ made her dress up. This was something that she did on a daily basis but in a twisted manner. Gia assured Isabella that nothing was going to happen, that where she was going she was going to be completely safe and protected. The girl relaxed and they were on their way back to the precinct. Upon arrival, they left her in the showers so that she could get ready for bedtime so that she could be taken to Gia's parents home.

It took ACS nearly three hours to get back to the precinct with the proper paperwork so that she could be released into the temporary custody of Cristina and Gil Rosa. After everything was said and done, Gia packed her belongings and bid every one goodbye. They were to return early in the morning so that they could pick up Gaines and bring him in for questioning and see if they could track down the partial plates that were recuperated in the video that TARU had sent over. She always walked to work from her parent's apartment building but the night was excruciatingly cold so Amanda had volunteered to drive her over. Gia thanked her and went on the inside and to the correct floor. She knocked and was greeted by her father.

Isabella automatically tensed and Gia explained to her that he was her father and that he never hurt her or her sister and that he was the most protective over her daughter. This seemed to ease the girl but she still was in defense mode. Gia handed the paperwork for fostering Isabella to her parents and they signed without hesitation. Gia showed Isabella Beau's room and she was taken with the little bundle that slept quietly in her crib. She thanked Gia for being so nice and was incredibly polite to the Rosa's.

After settling the young girl, she kissed her daughter and left to the confines of her own home. She explained to her mother that she'd return tomorrow before court to say good morning and feed Beau and see how Isabella had done through the night. Gia never noticed the time, she was in work-mode; she was infuriated with the facts of this case, and she couldn't wait for it be done and closed.

Arriving to her building, she entered the elevator, thinking of her exhaustion and the wear and tear her body had over the bruises she sported on her body. She entered the key in the slot and pushed the door opened. Her cop instincts went into overdrive as she noticed the dim lighting coming from the kitchen. Something was off, something didn't feel right; she paced inside and locked the door behind her, her hand resting calmly over her side arm.

"Where the fuck have you been?" Sam said, oddly calm.

 _Fuck_ , "What do you mean Samantha?" Gia retorted.

"I WON'T REPEAT MYSELF GIA! Don't play me for a goddamn fool," she slurred.

Gia jumped at the blaring of Sam's voice, "I—I was at work," she mumbled softly.

"NO! You," she pointed at the woman in front of her, her eyes raging and bulging out of her skull, "get off at eight, t—that was six hours ago," she hiccupped as she finished.

Gia moved backwards, attempting to feel something behind her for support, "S—Sam, s—stop yelling, please," she pleaded softly.

"Shut up," and then came the first blow, the one that always stung…

* * *

 **AN:** Ooh... cliffhanger! Review!


	6. Chapter 6

_**Chapter 6**_

Blow after blow clouded Gia's vision, made her body ache, and made her recoil on the ground. She was trained to protect herself, she was trained to retrieve her service weapon, but she wasn't allowed to fire it on her own girlfriend of over ten years. Everything went black and she couldn't remember anything else. Nothing. No movement was made, no sound was heard; she was in blissful darkness. A place where she didn't feel any pain, there were no heinous crimes; it was her and her solitude.

The sun rose early that morning and the cold was bone chilling. Every one was bundled, coffee shops boomed, and the morning hustle seemed to bustle.

" _Nine-one-one operator, what's your emergency?_ "

"H—Hi, there's a cop here. She's real beaten up, I—I don't know what to do!"

" _S—Sir, Sir, did you say a cop_?"

"Y—Yes, she's on the ground and she's unconscious."

" _Ok, sir, can you check if she has a badge on her?_ "

There's rustling in the background, "Yea, she has her gun with her too. It says she's a Detective and, and the number is 7965."

" _Ok sir, thank you. Can you tell me where you are?_ "

"On Huntington in Brooklyn, p—please send someone. She doesn't look good."

The line went dead, " _All units, we need all units. Ten-thirteen on Huntington in Brooklyn. Officer down in South Brooklyn, send a bus._ "

"Copy dispatch, show us in route," came a staticky reply.

The operator marked several cruisers in route and she ran the badge number to show the name of the Detective that had been injured. She dialed the number of the Commanding Officer, "Lieutenant Benson," she chirped.

" _Lieutenant, this is nine-one-one dispatcher Helen Murr, we have a Detective Giovanna Rosa on her way to Presbyterian Methodist in Brooklyn. I received a call from a civilian saying that she was badly injured. We have six units in route."_

"What? Uh," she didn't know what to say or what to think, "Re-route that bus to Bellevue, now!"

The dispatcher did as she was told, sending the new directions over to the EMT's that had answered the call. It was always the same whenever an officer had been injured. Olivia called the rest of the team and they all rushed to Bellevue to await the arrival of their fellow team member. The swarm of blue was a powerful presence; it was when you knew something had gone terribly wrong in the line of duty.

The ambulance arrived to the ER unit and in a gurney came a trembling, thrashing, severely beaten Gia. Olivia caught a glimpse of the apparel of the woman; she was still clad in yesterday's clothing, her gun and shield still at her side. She had oxygen going and they were shouting something about her being hypothermic and lying outside for over four hours in ten degrees weather. Carisi approached the Lieutenant, panting.

"Lieu, Lieu, how is she? Where is she?"

"Carisi; she just got in. I don't know anything, but we'll find out."

Carisi breathed out and scratched his brow. He paced in front of his commanding officer and huffed under his breath. In that same breath, Rollins and Fin made their presence known, asking the same questions that Carisi had bombarded Olivia with. They all waited, but not exactly in a calming fashion. Carisi pacing back and forth, Olivia growling at the lady at the front desk, Amanda gnawing at her nails, and Fin attempting to calm Olivia.

Meanwhile, Casey had arrived at the precinct to find it empty. No Olivia. No Fin. No Carisi. No Gia. She approached a uniformed officer and asked for the address of Giovanna, she needed to make sure that she was to make it to the remaining part of the trial. The officer gave her the address without hesitation, Casey was well known at the precinct. On the way, Casey tried everybody's cellphone, but no one was picking up, _What the hell is going on?_ She arrived and knocked on the door, expecting Gia to open, she saw the mixed race woman with curly hair and bloody knuckles open the door.

"Uh, hi," Casey mumbled, attempting to look past the woman to the inside of the dwelling, _Is that… is that blood?_ "Casey Novak, Sex Crimes ADA. Is Detective Rosa home?" she gave the woman a smile.

Samantha just stared at her and scoffed, "That bitch didn't make it home last night, was she fucking you instead?"

"Excuse me?" Casey barked.

"No, she isn't here," Sam growled and shut the door.

Casey was stunned, befuddled, and rooted to her spot without anything to say. It was hard to render the silver-tongued attorney speechless, but there she was, without a single word in her vocabulary to mumble or express. The loud chirping of her phone grounded her back to reality. Without checking for caller ID, she answered, "Novak."

" _Case, it's me_ ," Olivia said on the other side.

"Liv," she breathed out as she finally found her legs and will them to move, "what the hell is going on? I went to the precinct to get you guys for c—"

" _We're at the hospital_ ," Olivia mumbled quickly, getting a word in before Casey could continue her ranting.

"Why? What happened?" Casey could feel her heart rate speed up as her mouth went completely dry.

" _We don't know yet. Meet us at Bellevue, it's Gia_ ," Olivia hung up without further explanation, but she did say the magic word. Casey brought the hand that held her phone away from her ear and looked at the screen, black. The screen was black and how that screen looked is exactly how she felt; lost, in an abyss… She looked back at the end of the hallway and her body tensed, her nostrils flared, and she could physically feel the anger coursing through her veins. She pushed the arrow that pointed down and stepped inside the cabin once the doors opened. She knew what had happened, no one needed to tell her anything. She was just glad, though, that she knew who had done it and where it had happened. Casey stewed on her way to Bellevue; you know what they say about redheads and their tempers…

* * *

Meanwhile, the crew and the rest of the officers waited in the ED waiting room. They still had no news about their fellow officer and tensions were running high. Carisi sat next to Amanda with his elbows on his knees and his head in his hands. The uncertainty was eating him up, he needed to know if his partner was ok, if she was going to make it but most importantly, he wanted—no, not want—he _needed_ to know who had done this to her.

Amanda, in her attempt to calm Sonny down, sat running her hand up and down the man's back whilst Olivia had sent Fin to canvass the area and building and ask for video surveillance and to contact TARU to pull the footage from nearby traffic cams. Olivia leaned against a wall, watching Carisi and Amanda. They made a great couple and though they attempted to hide it, she could see straight through them. She chuckled to her self and shook her head, reminding her self of the many times she "denied" things happening and feeling something for her now wife and her then ADA, Alexandra Cabot.

"Family for Rosa," blared the ED resident, "Uh, Giovanna Rosa."

The entire waiting area went quiet, all the police officers there were now looking towards the members of the one-six when Olivia approached the doctor, "That's us," she gave a sheep smile as she motioned with her hands to her fellow officers and subordinates.

He chuckled and scratched his brow, "She's going to make full recovery. Now, she is in and out of consciousness, she lain on slush and snow for over four hours in last night's weather. She is _severely_ hypothermic; her body temperature is eighty degrees. We are warming her up as we speak, but we're doing so slowly so as to not cause shock to the body. She is on heated and humidifying oxygen and warmed IV fluids. We are moving her to the Cardiac ICU; we're keeping her for at least two or more midnights. We want to watch for any heart arrhythmias, ventricular fibrillation, and possible cardiac arrest. We will also be keeping an eye on her lungs for pneumonia. As far as her bodily injuries, she has nine fractured ribs, multiple bruises and contusions to the stomach and chest area, and her right eye has a broken eye socket. Uh, ma'am," he finally paused to ask Olivia the question she had been dreading all along, "these injuries appear only when playing sports, a fatal accident, and/or domestic abuse. Since the former does not seem to apply here, I am going with the latter. I need to contact the police, though, I doubt they'll take long to appear," he chuckled.

Olivia grimaced, "No need," she showed him her badge, "Lt. Olivia Benson of SVU, is she awake? Can we see her?"

"Yes, yes, of course. Uh, Lieutenant," he paused her before they began walking towards her room, "she asked for her parents to not know, but gave you and a Dominic Carisi and Casey Novak clearance for emergency contact, do you know if they're here?"

Olivia smiled genuinely, "Uh, yes. Dominic Carisi is her partner on field and Casey Novak has been notified, she should be here any minute."

The doctor nodded and escorted her back to the cardiac unit room where the battered body of her subordinate was being watched and cared for.

Once in front of the woman's room in the cardiac unit, the doctor bid them farewell and continued to do rounds. Olivia and Carisi approached the bed, each of them standing on either side of her. She looked ashen and her lips had a blue tint to them. Not even with all the warmth that seemed to be radiating through, her body was still struggling to find its warmth. Olivia ran her hand through her subordinate's hair and the other woman stirred, fluttering her eyes open, "Lieu—Lieutenant," she said, her voice hoarse from it all.

"I'm here and so is Carisi but your right eye is shut due to swelling, but he is here," the Lieutenant spoke softly.

Gia nodded, "Dom," she asked, "c—could you come s—stand next to Liv, please?"

"Yea, yea," he said, clearing his throat to control the emotion behind his voice.

Once settled next to the brunette the raven-haired beauty spoke once more, "I'm s—sorry f—for everything. I—I s—should've told you g—guys about everything f—from the beginning," her teeth chattered against one another as she spoke.

"You have nothing to be sorry about, Gia. I just want to know who did this to you, please," bargained her superior.

Gia closed her good eye and a tear escaped it as she nodded, "S—send Amanda in. D—Dom, y—you can't be h—here. Y—You're on my emergency l—list and I want t—the charges to stick," she attempted to chuckle, but only winced as the pain on her ribs made it's presence known.

"Easy there partner," Carisi chided playfully, "Plus, there is nowhere in hell that I'm not going to be here. I don't have to take the statement, but I'm not leaving your side until I know you're ok."

Olivia told him to go and find Amanda and made sure if Casey had arrived yet. Once back in the room, Casey ran to Gia's side. The woman had since fallen back asleep, but was still shivering incessantly. Casey's eyes had since grown teary at the sight before her eyes. This woman, this woman that she had grown feelings for was lying on a hospital bed, nearly fighting for her life. She gritted her teeth and tightened her jaw and once she looked up, Olivia's gaze was burning into her emerald one. Olivia gave a sheep smile and exhaled, coaxing the woman to do the same. Casey smiled and breathed; she would tell Liv if Gia didn't have the sense to do so.

"She wants Amanda and I to take her statement," Olivia spoke once she saw Casey had calmed.

"Why not Carisi and you?" Amanda chimed in, "I mean, he's her partner."

"That's exactly why, Rollins," Casey said even toned, "I'm glad she finally came to her senses though; if she wasn't speaking, I was going to do it for her," Casey grumbled lowly.

"What do you mean, Counselor?" Carisi spoke as he stood next to Amanda.

"You'll find out as soon as she wakes," Casey said, crossing her arms across her chest.

Just then a sudden shrill startled the team at the foot of the bed of the Detective. Her telemetry monitor was beeping loudly when two nurses rushed in. The blonde nurse quickly stopped the monitor from its continuous beeping whilst the curly-haired one pulled one of Gia's arms out of her warm cocoon when she spoke, "Hello, my name is Tisa and this is Quinn, a nursing student here doing her clinical rotation and we'll be Giovanna's nurses for this morning. Right now, she's having tachycardia, which is an abnormal rapid heart rate, though not common for someone in her age and health, but very much ' _normal_ ' in someone that is hypothermic. That's just her body's way of working for warmth. I'm administering a bolus through her IV of metoprolol to bring her heart rate down. We'll be checking her heart remotely, every five minutes to see how the medicine is doing. Any questions?" the woman asked, smiling expectantly at the others.

"No, thank you Tisa," said Olivia.

"She'll get through this, you just wait and see. I'll be back then to add more blankets and change the bottles," Tisa said, smiling at the detectives and attorney.

They nodded and bid her goodbye once she exited. Casey shuddered and glanced at the bed. How was she to fight her emotions and feelings when they were so strong? How was she to prosecute this all while being partial to the facts and not let said feelings cloud her judgment? Was she going to have to recuse herself from it all or was she going to be able to build a temporary box for her feelings and prosecute this case like any other?

They were all in a comfortable silence. All waiting and expecting the heterochromic sleeping form to wake. The doctors had told them that she would be in and out of sleep and that she wouldn't be easily aroused, hell; she hadn't woken up when Casey let out a frustrated growl in her impatience.

A sudden whine broke every one of their thoughts. They had been there already for several hours and it was already mid-morning almost afternoon. At first, the group thought that she was just shifting but no, she was awake now, "L—Liv," she called out.

"Yes, I'm here Gia, we're all here," she said as she stood on the left side of the bed.

"W—We?"

"Yes," Olivia mumbled, "Carisi, Rollins, and Casey."

"C—Casey," she said, darting her good eye around.

"Case, I think she wants to see you," Olivia mentioned looking at the teary eyed redhead.

Casey approached the bed quickly, immediately locking eyes with the woman, "Hey honey," the endearment escaping her lips, "I'm here."

Gia breathed in, wincing in the process, "Where's Fin?"

"He's over with TARU, we're checking pole cams and the security footage of the bodega you were found in front of. All we need now, is your statement, Gia; if you're up for it," Amanda said from behind Olivia.

Gia looked at the three women standing at the side of her bed, she pondered on the life that she had been giving Beau ever since she started teething and the abuse begun, the life that she had been living ever since she started dating Sam all those years back… she hated all of it but most importantly, she hated herself for putting up with it and then subjecting her innocent daughter through it as well. All she could do now was nod.

"Alright," Amanda begun, shooting the woman a sympathetic smile, "I guess we'll start with when did it start?"

"Uh, r—roughly ten years ago," Gia stuttered through chattering teeth.

The look of astonishment from both her Lieutenant and fellow coworker told her everything she needed to know. They were ashamed of her, "We don't think any less of you, Gia," Olivia comforted.

Gia closed her eye and smiled and begun recounting the tale of how and when she met Samantha Martin, the five foot seven inch high d-two point guard basketball player. They met on Gia's freshman year when all members of teams were having their annual beginning of semester mixer. In the beginning, Gia thought the sophomore was standoffish and paid her no mind, but by the time Gia had become a junior and Sam a senior, they had developed a nice relationship. Whilst in a rowing competition of Gia's, Sam had shown up right after her game to see Gia and her teammates lock in a spot in the regional competition.

She told them about the first time Sam lain her hands on her body. She told them about the initial five police reports made to the Miami PD. She told them about her time as a beat cop and how that had stopped the blows to her body. She told them about the promotion to Narcotics and the undercover stints. She told them about the cheating and the lying. She told them about every time she had to go under, she magically ended with a black eye and a busted lip. Gia had to enroll in a kickboxing gymnasium so that her squad mates would stop asking her questions and giving her questioning glances. But, to Gia's chagrin, the worst was yet to come.

At least in her eyes, the worst was yet to come.

* * *

Review, review, review! I hope you enjoyed this chapter and I apologize for the delay. Kinda hit a block there, but I'm good now.


	7. Chapter 7

_**Chapter 7**_

"Uh," Gia paused as a shudder ran through her body, "it started again after we begun dating for the umpteenth time. After I came back from the stint in Narcotics where they had to pull me out in the middle of the operation b—because of... my r—rape," she paused once more to look up at Amanda and Casey.

The other women looked at her in shock. Amanda couldn't hold her gaze just because of the other woman's blinding stare filled with such sorrow. Casey breathed hard, her nostrils flared, and she gulped as she suppressed her rage. She was angry that Gia lain on that hospital bed. She was angry that Sam had subjected Gia to such physical and mental abuse. She was angry at the bastard that had raped her. Casey was livid, "I'm so sorry that happened to you Gia," Casey spoke, her hand reaching and patting the heated blanket.

Gia smiled, "At first, I w—was too, but not any longer. I m—mean, I'm sorry I was r—raped, but it gave me Beau," she said, breathing slowly, accommodating the pain on her sides.

"Beau?" Amanda asked, looking at Casey.

"My d—daughter," Casey hitched a breath at the mention of a daughter and that's when it all clicked. Her rape was on her file. The file that Kressler had; the same file that had made her tremble and cry. Now, she understood _why_ he had that file.

"It stopped when I told her I was p—pregnant," Gia continued, breaking Casey from her thoughts, "My Captain briefed her of what h—had happened and for a moment, I thought she actually c—cared about my well-being. There were good nine m—months, but I couldn't stay in Miami any l—longer. I couldn't go back to my unit and w—work alongside men that I had fought so hard to p—rove that I was not weak and frail just because I was a g—girl. And, then there I was; raped and p—pregnant. I couldn't. So, that's when I put in for t—transfer to here for Homicide, initially but I guess, my Captain h—had other plans when he told me about SVU. I interviewed w—with Chief Dodds and here I was, four m—months after giving birth with a t—teething baby and an irritable girlfriend. _That's_ when it s—started."

Olivia clenched her jaw and bit her lip, scoffing in amusement, "What happened last night Gia, what do you remember?"

"Everything," she said, "I got home 'late'—she always thinks I'm c—cheating—and the apartment was q—quiet, but not the normal kind of quiet. I w—was ready to draw my service weapon when I n—noticed it was her. I couldn't use my weapon, IAB would be on my a—ass and trust me, I like my bottom attached to m—me, not handed in a p—platter," she tittered, wincing, but still lightening the mood enough for the others to giggle as well.

"And, then?" Olivia asked.

"She hit me, over and over and over a—again. I must've lost c—consciousness when she struck me r—repeatedly on my t—temple. I don't know w—what happened afterwards. I w—woke up here when the d—doctor explained everything," Gia finished, her eyes lulling with tiredness and sleep.

Once she was finished, like clockwork, Tisa entered the room, checking for her heart rate and blood pressure and listening to her lungs. Once that was completed, she had Quinn place more blankets to continue to raise her body temperature. Olivia stood and Amanda took her cue as well and they congregated once more at the foot of Gia's bed. Carisi hadn't said a word throughout the entire recount of facts as explained to by the woman who was his partner. He was torn by all she had went through, torn that she couldn't come forward sooner to avoid all of this… but he was glad that now, finally, she could put everything to rest and behind her and start anew.

Amanda looked at her lover and he shot her a warm smile, signaling that they would speak once in the confinements of one of the apartments that both had become so accustomed to, "I'm heading back to the house, Liv. I'll check with Fin and see if he has any leads," Olivia nodded at the man's suggestion, "Rollins, you coming?" Rollins told him that she would meet him outside.

"Counselor," she begun, "what would you like us to do?"

Casey crossed her arms over her chest and bit her lip, "I went by Gia's apartment this morning."

"What?" Olivia said, her voice raising an octave.

"I arrived at the precinct and no one was there so I tried calling you all but again, no one answered," she glared playfully at the women in front of her, "I asked one of the officers to find me her address and he did. I made my way down there and I knocked on her door and this Sam person answered the door," she sighed, exasperated at everything that she saw, "She was drunk, Olivia. She was drunk and had bloody knuckles and there was blood on the floor."

"We got her," Amanda whispered under her breath as she turned to the door.

"Book her, now," Casey growled lowly.

Olivia nodded slightly and walked out with Amanda.

A few moments after saw a lonesome Casey sitting peacefully with a file on her lap and her laptop on the chair across from her. She worried her bottom lip with her teeth as she skimmed over the facts of another case the Detectives had worked on for some time before Gia arrived. She was reading to her self when Tisa yet again walked in with Quinn, "Oh, I thought I saw your friends leave," she mentioned casually as she walked around Quinn, scrutinizing everything the young apprentice did.

"Oh," Casey chuckled, smiling at the slightly older woman, "they did. They're cops so, they have a job to do. Me on the other hand, am a lawyer so once they're done with everything, then it's my time to work."

"I figured all those cops were here for a member of their own just didn't take it to be this little one," Tisa conceded, "I thought she was a victim," she finished, giving the bags of warmed IV fluids to Quinn and checking the humidifier for its correct levels.

Casey inhaled sharply at the use of those words. She never once saw Gia as a victim; she was and would always be a survivor in Casey's eyes. She cleared her throat and simply nodded, "I'll be back at three to give her another bolus of metoprolol. She's responding very well to it and has not had another arrhythmia whilst on it," Tisa mentioned, "Why don't you go and get something to eat, honey? I'm sure she'll be ok for a couple of minutes while you run and grab a quick bite. I know you haven't eaten, neither of you had. You have all been here since my shift started," she chuckled as she left the attorney in the room.

Tisa was right; she hadn't eaten since before this morning. All she had was a quick cup of coffee to drain the sleep from her body and had gotten prepared for court. _Maybe I could step out quickly. If she takes nearly as long as she did before, she'll be out for a couple of hours or more_. With that, she stood, shuffling everything into her attaché and leaving—reluctantly—to the hospital bistro.

Meanwhile, whilst enjoying her lunch, Casey had prepared an arrest and search warrant for Samantha Martin and their dwelling and had sent it to Judge Serani, stating that one of the members of SVU would be picking them up shortly. Olivia received the text message just before she was set to call CSU to meet them at Gia's apartment to visit Judge Serani's chambers for both of her warrants. The squad and her wasted no time in making their way to the Judge's chambers that upon arrival handed them the signed warrants and they all went about their way. Olivia had told Carisi to stay out of the way and not interfere with either the arrest or the search of the apartment, but that he was allowed to stay outside just in case.

The powerful booming on the door raised Sam. Her head was throbbing and she wanted to know who the hell was banging on her door at such ungodly hour. She was also wondering, why Gia hadn't answer the fucking door. She groaned and got up from the bed, not bothering to listen to what the others were saying on the other side of the door.

"Jesus fuck, STOP BANGING ALREADY, I'M COMING!" She yelled from the inside of the dwelling.

"She already sounds like a piece of work," Fin mumbled under his breath.

The door opened in one quick swivel, "What the fuck do you want?" she bit at the Lieutenant and Sergeant standing in front of her.

"Samantha Martin," Olivia asked, gaining a cocky nod from the woman, "would you mind stepping out here for a second?"

Sam complied, "What? What?" she said, her voice dripping with attitude.

As soon as she crossed the threshold, Fin turned her around, "Samantha Martin, we have a warrant for your arrest for the assault made against Giovanna Rosa. You have the right to remain silent, anything you say can and will be used against you in a court of law. You have the right to an attorney, if you cannot afford one, one will be appointed to you. Do you understand these rights that I have read to you?"

Sam was amused. She scoffed and laughed, "Whatever man, that bitch deserved everything she got."

"Is that a confession?" Olivia asked, a small smile tugging at her lips.

The woman looked at her and glared, "Nope."

"We also have a warrant to search the apartment, so uh, we'll see you later," Olivia said smugly, "Fin, get her out of here. I want this by the books," she declared as Fin nodded and hauled Samantha to the elevators.

Olivia ushered CSU through and Rollins came behind them, "The super does have footage of the elevators from last night that he's pulling as we speak and from the front door as well. I left two uniforms down there with him. Liv," Amanda said as she reached for the Lieutenant's arm, "the bodega that Gia was found lying in front of is literally a block from here."

At the statement, Olivia opened her eyes and smirked. They had her, no matter what happened now, they had her; this was to be a strong case, but not an easy one. It never was an easy one when it involved an officer of the law. Olivia nodded and proceeded inside the dwelling, which at first glance looked like some whirlpool had gone through it. One of the CSU techs was taking pictures at everything that was misplaced and some blood spatter against the wall. It was like Sam never bothered to clean up or at least, hide the fact that something had happened in there.

"Lieutenant," Olivia was snapped out of her reverie, "dried up blood."

It was a small pool of blood by the rug. A small pool of blood that belonged to the same detective that was in an intensive care unit as she stood there, "Collect samples, run them through. I think I know whom it belongs to," she mused to her self.

Amanda just stood next to her Lieutenant, taking everything in, and remembering how everything looked. She paced carefully through the hallway passing one door to the right that indicated the bathroom, a second door to the left that upon opening revealed a small linen closet. Across from the second door, a third door to the right; 'Beau' it read on the door. Amanda opened the door and revealed a beautifully decorated nursery in champagne accents and white. The theme was elephants and Amanda smiled to herself, remembering now why, Gia had elephants on her desk. There was a white crib and next to it was a small dresser and above it, a big letter 'b'. Across from the crib was a changing table equipped with everything needed to change a child and right in the middle of the room was a reclining chair. Amanda took the sights of the room in and it reminded her of her own daughter, how she would do anything to protect her and keep her out of harms way. _Where is the kid?_ "Lieutenant, Lieutenant," Amanda hurried out of the room.

"What Rollins?" Olivia asked, concern in her voice.

"Where's the daughter?" Amanda asked, slightly out of breath.

"She's not in the room?" Amanda shook her head vehemently, "Shit," she mumbled, putting her hand on her forehead and looking around, "Before we presume the worst, call Carisi and ask him if she had a sitter, a nanny, someone who watched her. If nothing comes up," she trailed off, not needing to say anything else. Amanda understood what she meant and that's when the bile turned in her stomach, threatening to come up.

She shook her head and took a deep breath, pushing all thoughts and feelings of hurling away. She exited the apartment and headed downstairs where Carisi stood pacing in front of the unmarked police car, "Carisi," she shouted, grabbing the attention of the man.

"What? What happened in there?" he asked.

"Don't mind that right now, where is her daughter?" Amanda asked, emphasizing the question with her hands.

"She's at her parent's house with Isabella. She called yesterday on the way back to the precinct after court to see if they could keep her, why?"

Amanda released a breath and smiled as she picked up her phone to text Olivia that she was safe and out of harm's way.

Amanda retreated back to the apartment building where she found the super handing off the videos to the uniforms. They were bagged and tagged for evidence and proper chain of custody had to be followed now, "Let's go, send those to TARU and have them expedite it please. We have an officer in ICU," she mumbled quickly as the uniforms made their way to their cruiser, "We are going back to the precinct where we will question Samantha Martin," she said with conviction as she ushered Carisi to the car.

Back at the precinct, Fin had placed Sam in interrogation one where she sat, waiting, and stewing for her lawyer. As soon as she had been brought in to the precinct she lawyered up. Fin did as asked and was now watching her from the one-way glass in the hall. Amanda and Carisi arrived roughly twenty minutes after Fin had made the call to the lawyer. He filled in the other two members in and no later than, in comes walking the scum of the Earth—at least to the members of the one-six—John Buchanan. Of course such disgusting person had to have an equally disgusting person to represent their affairs. The team escorted the defense attorney to where his client was being held and gave them their privacy. Carisi couldn't be more upset because his body wouldn't let him. They were all running high and they wanted nothing more than to nail her ass to the wall. Gia didn't deserve this, nobody did but the fact that she was part of their family and a member of the blue line, awarded them feelings towards Sam that were no better than those thoughts for child molesters.

"Get me your fiery DA here," came the voice of Buchanan through the bullpen, "My client would like to be in her home by nightfall," he said, turning his back without first flashing a smug grin to their faces.

Fin scoffed and Carisi stood with his coat, "Where are you going Sonny?" Amanda asked, standing on her feet.

"I can't be here and I can't do nothing for the case," he said angrily, "I'm going to her parent's house."

"Man, don't do anything stupid. You know she doesn't want her folks to know what happened," Fin offered, shoving his hands in his pockets.

"I know, I know, I'm just going to spend time with Beau and let them know that we placed her under for a little time, to not worry. I know they have to be calling her," he said, leaving the bullpen, passing Olivia on his way out.

Olivia didn't say anything once she saw the man leave. She continued her journey to the bullpen, "What is going on? Where is Carisi going?"

"He's going to her parent's house," Amanda offered, seeing the look on her superior's face she added, "He's not going to tell them, he just went to spend time with Beau and tell her parents that we sent her under for a couple of days. That's all."

"Not really all, Liv," Fin interjected, "Buchanan is here asking for Casey."

"Buchanan? How can she afford Buchanan?" Olivia scoffed.

Amanda and Fin shrugged while Olivia made her way to her office to call Casey.

" _Novak_ ," answered the woman.

"Case, it's me," Olivia offered.

" _Did you get her?_ " she asked quickly.

"Yes, but uh, she lawyered up pretty quickly and her mouthpiece is asking for you already," Olivia said as she reclined on her chair.

" _Please tell me is a legal aid so that it makes my job easier_ ," Casey quipped.

Olivia gave a hearty laugh, "No, actually is Buchanan," she heard Casey sigh on the other side, "I know, that's what I said too."

" _Christ_ ," Casey breathed, " _Alright, let me call my boss and see what he wants me to do. What ever happens Liv, please know that I am fighting this tooth and nail._ "

"I know Casey, I know. Just please get here, I hate having defense attorneys in my precinct."

Casey giggled and hung up the call. She knew what the DA wanted her to do, she had already been briefed; the question now was would the team accept it.

* * *

A/N: Thanks for the reviews so far! Keep them coming.


	8. Chapter 8

_**Chapter 8**_

Casey arrived at the precinct in record time. The sounds of her shoes could be heard as soon as she stepped off the elevator. The team knew that heels clacking on their floor meant Alex, Casey or somebody else. They listened to the power behind the strut and awarded it to Casey's quick saunter. It was not long before Rollins, Fin, and Olivia saw the redhead approaching them by the mirror that gave view to the interrogation room.

"How is she, Counselor?" Fin asked.

"Before I left they gave her another bolus of metoprolol. Her body temperature came up two degrees, which still keeps her in the severely hypothermic state. She doesn't have fluids in her lungs, so that means no for pneumonia. Other than that, she's still in and out. They asked permission for a feeding tube since she hasn't been conscious long enough to eat," Casey trailed off, sighing, "I approved of it. We can't have her hypothermic _and_ starving."

Everyone nodded and gave her a smile, "You did good Case, what are we going to do with that," Olivia said, pointing at the mirror.

Casey groaned and rolled her eyes, stepping off and entering the room accompanied by Olivia, "Buchanan, you rang," Casey said, smirking as she placed her attaché on the table and sat across from Samantha and Buchanan, Liv taking a seat next to her scoffing in amusement.

"Always the comedic one, aren't you, Ms. Novak," he mused.

"What do you want?" Casey asked, clearly annoyed by the presence of the two.

"I would like to know what the charges are against my client," he said.

"Oh, let's see, shall we," Casey said, pulling a file from her attaché, "Domestic Violence against a Girlfriend for Assault in the First Degree and an added charge of Reckless Endangerment," Casey said matter-of-factly causing Olivia to look at her weirdly.

"This is her first offense Ms. Novak, we'll take a class A misdemeanor at most," Buchanan mentioned.

Samantha gave a smug grin that caused Casey to glare at her, "A year in jail?" she scoffed, "You are right on something, Counselor, this _is_ her first offense in the state of New York but," she said, sliding the file across to Buchanan, "she has five complaints in the state of Florida for Domestic Abuse and Disorderly Conduct. Like I said, those are the charges and the DA's Office will not be offering anything less than a Class C felony. Depending on behavior, I might consider arguing for the possibility of parole with probation. That is the only offer."

Olivia knitted her eyebrows and looked across from her. Samantha was fuming, clearly. Her nostrils were flaring, her hands were closed in fists atop the table, and if she wasn't cuffed to the table, she was sure that she would've lunged at Casey. Sam leaned over to Buchanan and whispered something inaudible to the man next to her, "We'll take the Reckless Endangerment charge, one year in jail and three of probation."

"Ha," Casey said in amusement, "I'll see you in arraignment. Guys, take her to Central Booking," with that she stood and exited to her left, where she was sure to meet Olivia in her office.

As soon as the door shut, Olivia nearly shouted, "She's a police officer Casey, ever thought of bringing that charge forth?" Olivia growled at her.

"Don't you think I know that, _Lieutenant_?" Casey bit back at her, her eyes burning in rage.

Olivia snickered and breathed out, gathering her thoughts and placing her anger towards the person that deserved it: Sam, not Casey; "I'm sorry, I'm sorry," she sighed, gesturing for Casey to sit, "Why didn't the DA let you charge her with Assault of a Police Officer?"

"Because," Casey begun, "she wasn't in the line of duty and she wasn't on the clock either, Liv. She was just Giovanna Rosa at the time of the assault. Yes, I know that her title follows her everywhere, but once inside her home, that's different. Trust me, why do you think he's not going for anything less than fifteen in jail? He has to make it up somehow," Casey said, smiling at the woman across from her.

Olivia chuckled and nodded, "It's going to be a long day, huh?"

Casey nodded, "Yep, but she deserves justice, Liv. I—I don't know what's happening but," she sighed and bit her lip, "I really like her, Olivia. I haven't felt this way in a long time."

The brunette smiled at her friend, "I know Casey, I know."

As soon as she was processed, fingerprinted, and photographed for injuries, a courtroom filled with police officers, Detectives, and other members of the blue line saw Samantha Martin accompanied by her Defense Attorney. She was fidgety and nervous, a behavior that Casey hadn't seen in the woman before. Her guess, she had sobered up enough that the consequences of her actions were finally catching up to her.

"Docket ending 18-12765," blared the court officer through the room, "People v. Samantha Martin; one count Domestic Violence against a Girlfriend, one count Assault in the first, and one count Reckless Endangerment in the second," she finished, handing the proper paperwork to the Judge.

"How does your client plea, Counsel?" asked the Judge over his glasses.

"Not guilty, Your Honor," answered Buchanan.

"People on bail?" he asked, looking over at where Casey stood.

"Remand, Your Honor," Casey said, shifting her footing, "the Defendant has no ties to the community and is clearly a threat to Ms. Rosa who is currently at Bellevue's Cardiac Intensive Care Unit."

"Your Honor, release her on her own recognizance and we'll even take an ankle bracelet and surrender of passport and state identification," argued Buchanan, "My client has a seven-month-old daughter she has to g—"

"Oh please," Casey interjected before he could go any further, "Your Honor, the Defendant has no known children. This _daughter_ that Defense is bringing forth is the child of _Detective_ Giovanna Rosa. The child was not in the dwelling when the Detectives of Manhattan's Special Victims Unit made an arrest. Furthermore, the Defendant does _not_ care for this child nor is this child hers legally; she has no legal withstanding upon the affairs of said minor."

"Save it for trial Ms. Novak, I hear you. Am I understanding this correctly, Ms. Martin, you're here because you assaulted your girlfriend who happens to be an officer of the law and you Mr. Buchanan are arguing for this court for her to be R.O.R'd?" Buchanan opened and closed his mouth, "The Defendant is to be remanded upon waiting for trial. Next case," he banged the gavel as the attorneys gathered their belongings.

Sam was hauled through the other side of the court to be sent to the correctional facility and Casey exited before Buchanan had any chance bombarding her with motions or paperwork.

Casey had her work cut out for her with this case.

* * *

Back at the hospital, she entered once more the familiar room and saw her there, slightly sitting up on the bed, her only good eye trained on the door, and a small smile painted on her lips. Casey could finally breathe again as she crossed the threshold of the room.

"C—Casey," she breathed out, "thank you f—for being h—here," Gia chattered.

"You don't have to thank me, Gia," Casey conceded.

"W—Where's Beau?"

"She's at your parent's. Carisi checked on her. Last I knew, he was swinging by your apartment and grabbing more clothing for her for the week," the woman's eye widened in fear, "Don't worry, we told your parents that you were pulled in a last minute assignment and were going to be under for at least ten days."

Gia breathed out as she closed her eye, slightly wincing at the pressure it had caused on her ribs, "T—Thank you, C—Casey."

Casey smiled and reached for the chair, bringing it closer to the bed so she could sit, "I passed one of your doctors for the evening, he said that you're now in moderate hypothermia and that if you continue to make such good progress, you'll be in mild hypothermia by the end of the week and we could discuss discharge."

Gia nodded, "I k—know, he said t—that my chattering and t—trembling was good. Even if I f—find it annoying," she tittered, closing her eye in slight discomfort, "H—He also s—said that you authorized a f—feeding t—tube," she swallowed.

Casey hung her head and nimble fingers tickled her scalp. Her head shot up quickly and hid the hand back in the cocoon where it came from, "You need to stay warm, no drafty air."

"D—don't hide your eyes f—from m—me, Casey," Gia gently chided, "I'm not upset t—that you authorized the f—feeding tube. T—Thank you," she said, earning a earnest smile from the redhead, "W—What will happen n—now, with S—Sam I mean."

Casey sighed, "She was arrested and is now remanded upstate. She has a prick for a mouthpiece too. She won't be able to hurt you anymore," Casey said as she brought her hand to the woman's good cheek, _So, so soft_. Gia nestled into Casey's touch, shivering quickly as Casey's warmth shot through her, "Why didn't you say something sooner?" Casey inquired, willing the woman to open her eye.

"I t—thought I had it under c—control, I… I… I'm s—sorry," she said, barely a whisper.

Casey smiled and shook her head, "You have nothing to be sorry for. I'm glad you're alive," she leaned in and pressed a kiss on the woman's forehead, "You have to get better, please," she whispered against the skin of her forehead, willing her tears back.

Casey appeared back in Gia's eye sight once more, "I w—will, I p—promise."

They continued talking slowly about stuff that had happened throughout the day. About the argument with Buchanan—both times, the smug look on Sam's face and how the argument went in arraignment court. Casey joked with Gia, careful not to exacerbate her hurting ribs. Gia enjoyed the company. She loved having Casey this close, she enjoyed her laugh, the way her nose would scrunch up, and her eyes would close for the faintest second before throwing her head back and letting herself be engulfed in laughter. It was a beautiful sight, one that Gia wanted to remember for always.

Casey on the other hand, watched how the woman watched her. How her eye glistened when she spoke, how the woman hung on every word she spoke, and the faintest hint of a smile every time she would worry her lip whilst talking. These subtleties didn't go unnoticed by the redhead. She yearned for the look the raven-haired gal gave her, it was one filled with love and desire. She wanted to make the other woman happy; she wanted to be the reason behind her smile, the reason behind her laughter. Their visit was cut when the announcement came blaring through the speakers that ICU visits were only until nine and they would resume the next day at nine. They bid farewell to each other and Casey left to her home.

* * *

A week had passed since the entire ordeal. Gia's body temperature had risen to a pleasant ninety-six degrees and she was scheduled for discharge and thankfully on a Saturday. Gia's eye swelling had gone down significantly, her ribs still bothered her a lot, but she wasn't under heating blankets for the entire part of her day and night and she was able to walk freely to and from the restroom. She was about to do so when a familiar face came about, "Ready?"

"Casey, hello," Gia mumbled as she tried to breathe evenly.

"Take it easy," she said, rushing to Gia's side, "Where do you think you're going?"

"To the bathroom, mother," Gia tittered, wincing a bit.

"I'll help," Casey said, aiding her to the bathroom.

Once back, an uncomfortable silence fell upon them. Gia was dreading this conversation, "I want to see my daughter," Gia mumbled, as she hopped on the bed.

"Well, when I get you to your home, I can call Carisi and have her p—"

"I don't have a home any longer, Counselor," a somber tone gracing her words.

"W—What do you mean?" Casey asked.

"I'm not going back to that apartment Casey, I can't" landing her stunning stare on the redhead, "There's too much pain in that apartment. I almost lost my life in that apartment," she said shaking her head, "Uh, I just want to see my daughter and then I'll go and sleep in the cribs until I sort something out."

Casey was floored, had she heard correctly? Did she say, sleep in the cribs? "Excuse me?" Gia looked up from her hands, not knowing to what to say, "You're not sleeping in the cribs, Gia."

"I'm not staying with my parents for six weeks either, Casey. I've got nowhere else to go," she said, wincing at the strain she had put on her ribs.

"You can stay with me, I have a spare room. Granted, I use it as my office. but I'll be happy to offer it to you," Casey said matter-of-factly.

Gia began shaking her head, "No, Casey, you're prosecuting my case. The Defense will have a fucking field day with that information. No, I can sleep in the cribs."

"No, you will not. End of discussion, Giovanna," Casey said, crossing her arms on her chest.

Gia smirked, glancing over at Casey, "Is this how you present your compelling arguments in court, Counselor?"

Casey attempted to hold her glare, but couldn't. Suddenly her glare was accompanied by a playful smirk before her whole face changed, "That's only when I'm not dealing with adults who act like children," she said, sticking her tongue out.

"And, I'm the child, Casey?" Gia quipped, causing the older woman to playfully push her arm, Gia falling on her side dramatically.

"Come on, let us go and we can have Carisi and the gang meet us at my apartment with your little girl, I'd like to m—meet her," Casey said, helping Gia up.

"Sure," Gia smiled, "Thank you, Casey," Gia said, placing a kiss on Casey's cheek.

The redhead turned as florid as her hair as she held the spot on her face that Gia had kissed. She could feel the warmth coursing through her face, she could feel the tingles that coursed through the spot she had kissed; Casey felt young again just like the first time she was in love. The doctor came by as Casey stared into Gia's eyes to hand over the discharge papers. He gave them instructions to follow and dates for appointments as well as the proper prescriptions for her medication. They were able to leave the hospital and stop at the pharmacy to drop off the scripts. The entire ride Casey could only smile, but she really couldn't figure out why.

Why was she smiling? Why couldn't she stop smiling would be the really good question. Why did she felt at peace, like she belonged, like this was where she needed to be, like there's no other place she wanted to be. She couldn't stop glancing at the woman next to her. She noticed everything about the other woman, the way she would wince if she attempted to shift too quickly, in order to contain her sharp cry of pain she would bite her lip and tighten her eyes, as she looked out the window every time her eyes landed on a mother and her children, her eyes would glisten and she would smile; Casey was completely smitten and she couldn't help it.

Gia noticed the scrutinizing stare the other woman had upon her, it didn't go unnoticed either the silly smile she had been sporting since she left the hospital. Gia couldn't help but feel those feelings she felt at the beginning of her relationship with Sam. Those feelings you get when someone looks at you the right way; the butterflies in the stomach, the tingles when they touch you, the shortness of breath when they say your name, the fast beating of the heart whenever their presence would grace the same room you're in… She couldn't help but smile too though not as silly as the one Casey had on her face. She also noticed things about the woman like the freckles covering Casey's nose, neck, and shoulders; she couldn't help but wonder if they were in other places too.

She noticed the blue and brown in Casey's eyes, but the green always won, the green was always more and that's what she loved the most. She noticed her hands and the way her fingers would drum against the stirring wheel when she came to a stop, her exasperated sigh when someone in front of her would do something dumb on the road, and her favorite, every time she bit that luscious, plump, rosy bottom lip. She couldn't help but feel jealous of Casey's own body and whatever man or woman came before her. She wanted to feel Casey's lips on hers, on her body, on every freckle on her body and Gia… well Gia for sure wanted to discover Casey's body but more importantly, she wanted to know what would those eyes look like at the brink of ecstasy, just before she stepped over in the abyss, just before she succumbed into pure bliss…


	9. Chapter 9

_**Chapter 9**_

After what seemed like an eternity of a car ride both ladies had safely made it to the dwelling of Casey Novak. The redhead had been by Gia's side, helping and aiding her as much as she could without bruising the tough façade that Gia intended to put up for the attorney. As soon as the pair had made it up from the underground garage and into the elevator with nothing but their two bodies, the silence had started to become slightly unbearable.

Not because of it being uncomfortable but because, neither woman knew what to say. They knew the attraction that they had on each other, they had acknowledged it—kind of—and, Casey understood Gia's situation. If Casey wanted Gia's heart she had to gain Beau's heart too and she knew that was no easy task. When Alex had returned—finally—for Olivia, Olivia already had Noah and though, Noah was still young when the couple had rekindled their relationship, Olivia had still been guarded. Many dates included Noah. Some dates were not as romantic as she knew Alex had wanted them to be in order to accommodate Noah's age but look, here they were, married and with three children down the road. Who said Casey couldn't have that was well?

The ride to the fourteenth floor was slow but once the elevators made it, Casey could breathe a little easier. What Gia didn't know was that Casey had planned on her going home with the redhead, even if she had decided to go back to her apartment, Casey was going to insist on being there for at least a week in order for her to get acquainted with her broken ribs. So, she needed a plan; she would need to stop by her home. She had told the gang to pick up the daughter and food as well and meet them over at her apartment for a 'Welcome Home' celebration for the tanned beauty. Casey kept chancing glances at the enigmatic woman behind her, noticing her limp. That would be a conversation for when her apartment was empty and not filled with the members of the one-six.

Casey inserted the key fob in its rightful place and waited until the hub made its whirring sounds in recognition, once the light turned green, she turned the fob to gain access to her home, "Welcome Gia," they all shouted in unison.

Gia who had been gnawing at her pouty bottom lip, wanting to tell Casey how much she appreciated everything and how she would repay her when time came had not been paying attention to the slight excitement that fell upon Casey once she was a few doors from her home. Once she heard the slight unison of words she looked up and saw her squad members with their respective families and that little bundle with big hazel eyes wrapped in Carisi's arms was the one that she had wanted to see the most. Her mouth opened in a smile and her eyes glistened in happiness, "Casey," she said, lightly nudging the woman on her shoulder, "were you planning on bringing me here regardless of what I said?"

Casey shrugged, smiling, "I told you, I give a great compelling argument," she finished as she locked the door behind her.

Beau, upon hearing her mother's voice snapped her little head around and shouted 'mama' to the top of her lungs, "I know baby, I'm here," she said, walking over to Carisi and carefully exchanged the baby in their arms, "Hi there sweet one," she said, kissing the baby's temple, "You're getting heavy there, Beau Jolie," she mused as she bounced her on her hip, careful not to further contribute to her aching ribs.

"We're glad you're out partner," Carisi said, kissing her hair.

"Yea, you gave us a scare there, G," Fin said.

"Next time, don't be so stubborn," Olivia said, earning her self a slap on the arm by whom Gia identified as Alex.

"Like you can talk," Alex playfully chided, "Hi there, I'm Alexandra, Olivia's wife," she said extending her arm.

Gia shook her head, "I don't do handshakes, Counselor. Especially not after you have put this all together for my return," she said, hinting at a hug.

"A hug, then?" Alex asked.

Gia nodded and smiled, "It's nice to meet you, Counselor. Giovanna, but you can call me Gia."

"Then call me Alex. It's so formal of you _Detective_ to call me Counselor outside of office hours," she quipped, "And, who is this little beauty," Alex asked, tickling Beau on her belly.

"Right, you haven't met yet. Guys, this is Beau Jolie and though the circumstances that brought her into my life are not ones I would particularly like to re-live, I wouldn't trade her for nothing in the world," she said, her eyes getting misty with tears.

The team gave her sheep smiles but their eyes weren't clouded with pity or sorrow, they were happy for her, "Alright, enough tears; I'm starving!" Admonished Amanda.

Every one agreed and the chatter erupted quickly as they all gathered at Casey's dining table. Casey, having been observing from slightly afar, approached Gia, "I know what it's like to lose everything after an abusive relationship," she confessed, "I know how lonely one can be. I just wanted to give you something nice where you could forget for a while all the pain and horrible memories with your friends."

Gia smiled and carefully pulled Casey in for a hug, turning her face and kissing the redhead's cheek, "Thank you Casey, for everything. You have made this so much bearable, I—I… seriously Case, thank you."

They had been so enveloped in what the other one had said and the moment of affection that neither realized the way their bodies had gravitated together. Casey had brought her hand up to wipe away a stray tear that had escaped Gia's eye. There they stood, in close proximity of the other, not saying a word but pouring out sentiments through their eyes. A squeal and a sudden jerk from the child resting in Gia's arms brought them back to the now as well as a wince and groan from Gia, "Gia," Casey nearly shouted.

The team looked towards them and saw Gia with her eyes clamped shut, her teeth sinking furiously into her bottom lip. She breathed out slowly and released her lip, tasting blood in her mouth as she flutter her eyes open, "I'm ok guys," she croaked, bringing her hand to her lip, "Little one here moved too fast for my aching sides," she smiled.

"Here, I'll take her," Casey said, opening her arms, "and you can go wash your mouth to rid yourself of that copper taste. We'll have a plate for you when you come back."

Gia eyed her warily. She had just seen her daughter for the first time in eight days, she didn't want to let her go, but she knew Casey was right. She reluctantly tickled Beau's belly to gain her attention, the girl enveloped in her mother's leaf pendant necklace. Beau looked at her mother and smiled, "Hey pretty girl, you want to go with Casey?" The girl followed her mother's stare to land on the redhead's, "Yea, so that Mommy can go wash the blood out of her mouth," Gia continued.

Casey opened her arms and smiled, "Come on pretty girl, I'll let you eat out of my plate," she whispered loudly. That seemed to do it for the girl, she smiled a toothy grin and reached for the redhead's arms, "Bathroom is the first door to your left."

Gia nodded and disappeared through the hallway. Casey's apartment was beautiful. She had huge bay windows in her living room that overlooked the skyline of the city. The kitchen overlooked to the living room and if you stood leaning against the stove, you could see the dining table that Casey had picked to match her quartz counter tops. Everything in Casey's apartment seemed to be white and grey with some type of accent color. The Detective in Gia noticed that everything had its place and everything seemed to be labeled as well.

At least in the bathroom, the vanity underneath the sink had plastic drawers labeled with 'feminine care', 'personal care', 'makeup', 'oral care', 'first aid', 'misc.', and 'hair care'. _Casey is a neat freak_ , she chuckled to herself knowing too well that she was too. She despised clutter, that's why her desk was free of nick-knacks. She opened the oral care drawer and found mouthwash, exactly what she needed. She rinsed her mouth and gargled, wincing a little to the burning sensation the liquid created upon her re-opened cut. She sucked her lip into her mouth and could feel it pulsating.

She emerged back down the hallway and to the dining table and what she saw nearly knocked her on her ass. Casey and Beau, giggling at each other as she fed the baby ground beef from her broken apart lasagna and had her sip carefully from her glass of water. The team was engaged in banter and they all seemed smitten with the girl on Casey's lap. This is what she had wanted with Sam from the beginning, but Sam's indifference and jealousy had proved that she would never have it, not until she left. She smiled and leaned her body against the wall, "And, here I thought this was my party," she quipped, gaining the attention of her friends.

"It is, come sit by me," Carisi said, "unless you want to sit somewhere else," he said, raising his brow.

Gia rolled her eyes and limped towards the table, "Actually, I would like to sit in between the pretty blonde and that awkward redhead holding that glutton kid," Gia said, smiling.

"You think I'm pretty," Amanda drawled, batting her eyelashes and placing a hand on her chest.

The gang laughed, "Hey, I resent that," Casey said, feigning hurt, "And, this glutton kid happens to be your glutton kid. Seriously, do you eat like this?" Casey asked as Gia sat between the two women, receiving a plate with lasagna, stuffed ravioli, and a bowl with salad from Olivia and Carisi.

The table went silent as they eyed the contents in Gia's plate, "Casey," Alex begun, attempting to stifle her laughter, "look at her plate," she erupted in a hearty laugh.

Casey's eyes opened wide and looked at the baby in her hands and at the mother sitting besides her. Gia wasn't big by any means; she had a toned stomach, muscular arms and shoulders, and hips and ass for days. Casey knew Gia had participated in rowing, but what she didn't know was the appetite the woman carried, "Jesus, where does it all go?"

Gia attempted to laugh but failed, grabbing at her sides, "Please, don't make me laugh, it hurts," she said, breathing laboriously through her smile.

"No seriously, where does it go?" Alex repeated.

Gia shrugged and began eating from her plate, occasionally stopping and feeding her daughter some garlic bread as well, "You should see her with Chinese take-out," Carisi begun.

Amanda opened her eyes, "Oh God, yes. Alex, we all ordered from Wok 88 on third and she's ordering rice, dumplings, egg rolls, boneless spare ribs, steak and broccoli; I mean, you name it, she ordered it. I thought, she was ordering for Carisi and Olivia too but then she goes, 'Do you think Dom would like the Perfect Match or the Tung-Tung Shrimp' and my jaw hit the floor," the table erupted in laughter.

"But, seriously, the Tung-Tung Shrimp; to die for," Alex added, "You didn't eat all that food your ordered?"

Gia side glanced her and smiled, her cheeks stuffed with ravioli. Alex raised her brow and looked over to Fin and Carisi who had this smug smile on their faces, "What? She didn't right?"

"Baby, she ate it all and two hours later she was asking Amanda for her leftovers," Olivia mentioned, slightly choking on her water.

Alex opened her mouth and Casey spoke before she had the chance, "Alex, you go grocery shopping on Sundays, right?"

Alex nodded, "I'll pick you up at eight, you're going to need it with these two," she quipped.

Gia felt warm. She loved this banter and she loved that she was taking place in it as well. She had missed it, a lot. After dinner and cleaning up, Gia excused herself and gave Beau a quick bath. She was thankful that Carisi had grabbed her bag before leaving her parent's and that there was still clothing items in them as well as a few diapers. She was going to need all of her belongings if she was to stay with Casey.

Casey had told her that she could have her spare room, the one where she only had a bed for when her parents or siblings visited. She had also said that it was the room she used as an office. Once Gia saw the room, she was sure now that Casey was indeed, a neat freak. The bed was pushed up against the back wall, giving it the illusion of a day bed and the desk was placed to the right side of the door, creating ample spacing for walking. Gia placed Beau in the middle of the bed and surrounded her with pillows. She left the door cracked so that she could hear her in case she stirred or woke.

Everybody was sat on Casey's plush sectional with a cup of coffee, having simmered down from the loud rowdiness from earlier. Olivia, Alex, and Casey sported nauseating looks once she emerged from the room, "Who died?" she said, smiling as she took a sit across from the ladies, next to Amanda.

"Uh," Olivia cleared her throat, "Gia, we waited until now to tell you because you needed to focus on recovery," she ran her hands through her hair. She opened and closed her moth but nothing came out.

"You're scaring me Olivia, am I being fired?" she asked, her voice wavering slightly.

"No!" Olivia nearly shouted, "God, no. Casey, maybe you should tell her."

Casey nodded and looked at Gia, "Sam is asking for a speedy trial."

Gia chuckled, wincing and gripping her sides in the process, but never stopping, "Of course she is," she said, running her hands through her face, "I know exactly why too. Does she," Gia sighed, hating the labor her ribs caused her when breathing, "does she know about my recovery process?"

"No," Amanda begun, "her lawyer's been asking though, but Casey and Alex both said that the information was private and since Samantha was not in the paperwork they weren't allowed to disclose."

"All she knows is that you're in recovery," Fin added.

Gia nodded and sucked her bottom lip in, rubbing at her jeans, "Does she know my injuries?"

"Yea," Carisi said.

Gia smiled and rolled her eyes, "When's the trial? In two weeks?"

Casey looked dumbfounded, "See, Sam is not stupid. She knows that if I'm not able to testify and she has that right, the case will go nowhere. She also knows that rib fractures take four to six weeks to heal. She also knows that my parents know about her abuse so I wouldn't go to them so she probably thinks I'm staying at the hospital to ride out the six weeks. If you are worried that I'm not ready to testify, you're wrong and I am ready for cross as well though, there's something you all might want to know in case it's brought up in court, and knowing Sam, she'll definitely bring it up," Gia sighed.

"And, that is?" Alex asked, leaning forward.

Gia sighed breathily, she really needed her pain meds, "Casey, could we go pick up my medication after everyone is gone, please?"

Casey nodded, "Yes, yes, of course."

Gia smiled, "All through college, even though I had a full-ride in rowing, I still needed money to pay for my every day expenses. You know, food, books… My parents were here in New York, my sister had just started working a new job and my brother had a baby on the way so, I wasn't going to ask for money, but I needed to find a way to make money."

"Please, don't tell me you were dealing," Fin said.

Gia shook her head and smiled, "No, I was not. I stripped," she paused to gauge the reactions of her co-workers, but they were too in shock to react now, "I stripped, all through college and for a little bit too when I was a beat cop. I stopped once I joined the Academy though but green-lighted occasionally when I was slumming as a beat. I stopped when I made Detective and I haven't stepped foot inside of a strip club since."


	10. Chapter 10

_**Chapter 10**_

 _She stripped. Well, she used to strip_. Casey's thoughts were all over the place. Not only Casey's, but also the whole team. They didn't know what to say or how to say it. What if they offended Gia? What if that was a sensitive subject for her? How could they even begin to ask the difficult questions? They needed to. Someone had to.

"Were you _actually_ stripping?" Carisi was the first to break the awkward silence that had fallen upon them.

"No, my outfits always consisted of a bikini or corset crop tops and low-rise cheeky shorts. The most I showed were my ass cheeks," Gia answered truthfully.

"You said you stopped after joining the Academy," Olivia begun, "How did you even get in? Is this going to risk her job?" She finished, directing the question towards Alex.

"I never lied in my application, Lieutenant," Gia offered, "My father," she was having trouble breathing; Casey took notice and quickly stood and brought back a glass of water, handing it to Gia. Gia offered a smile and an apologetic look that Casey quickly dismissed, "he retired as a Major for Miami-Dade Special Patrol Bureau; he was part of the Marine Patrol. They recognized my name and resemblance so yes it was divulged, but never who it was. When they conducted the background check, they went to the clubs I worked at, I passed with flying colors. And, no; it cannot affect it or risk it."

Alex nodded in acceptance of Gia's testimony, "You're just a box of surprises, huh?" Fin quipped.

Gia attempted to giggle, "Yea, something like that."

Amanda gave her a sympathetic smile and reached for her hand, "We'll be by your side, all throughout," she said, smiling.

Gia glanced at all the adults, seeing their smiles and slight nods, but the one that meant the most to her did not belong to her Lieutenant, it belonged to the redhead that often times clouded her mind. The same redhead that had offered her home, the redhead that made her stomach flutter, and her heart soar; _that_ redhead. She was thankful for the support she had found in the members of the one-six that all she could do was smile and finally breathe.

Shortly after the team bid their farewells, they all hugged her gently and carefully and reminded her of their support. Casey left with them, to go and pick up Gia's prescriptions. Whilst in the quiet of Casey's home, she couldn't help but let her mind wander, _How amazing would it be for this to be a common thing._ She smiled to herself, limping to the spare room to check on Beau. The baby hadn't move, she was resting peacefully and quietly. Gia just watched from the doorframe, afraid that if she entered, she might wake up. She was so lost in thought, so deep in it that she didn't even notice when Casey entered the dwelling.

"Gia," she called, noticing the woman didn't even move, she tried it louder, "Giovanna," that seemed to do it.

"Oh, Casey, I didn't even hear you come in," she said as she limped slowly towards the redhead that had already made it to the kitchen.

Gia watched as Casey read the labels of her medication, setting them aside in order of dosages. She had to take two in the morning, one in the afternoon, and one as needed, "These are strong meds, Gia. I think I'll be working from home to make sure you're ok," Casey mused.

"No, Casey," Gia begun, feeling already guilty for having invaded the woman's space, "You don't need to stay away from work because of me. I'll manage by myself, please, don't stop your life because of me."

Casey held her hand up, not wanting to hear anything she was saying, "I'm not stopping my life because of you, I'm choosing to hit the slow motion button until you're feeling better. I'm not hearing any more of this," Casey mentioned as she opened one of the bottles and shook the pain meds that were as needed into her hand, "Here, take these. Those are your pain meds to be taken as needed."

Gia took the pills and the glass that Casey handed her. She popped the pills in her mouth and swished them down with the water, "Thank you," she said with a small smile.

Casey nodded, taking the glass back, "Why are you limping, Giovanna?"

 _Damn, and here I thought she wasn't paying attention to that,_ "Uh," she begun.

"You better think twice before lying to me, _Detective_ ," Casey admonished.

Gia smiled and leaned against the counter, "I think Sam might've sprained my ankle in the process or maybe it happened when I was lain in the snow and slush throughout the night. Either way, it doesn't hurt as bad as it looks. Honestly, I'll let you know when I'm hurting, _Counselor_."

Casey tittered at the use of their titles and worked on closing the gap between their bodies. She didn't know where this pull came to be. Why did she feel so drawn to this woman? So drawn to be there for her, so drawn t—, "Tell me about your relationship?"

"What?" Casey said too quickly, being caught off guard.

"You said you knew what it was like to be in my position, tell me about your relationship," Gia repeated softly.

"It happened in college, his name was Charlie. He had schizophrenia, though I didn't know that when we started dating, but throughout the relationship he just got worst and refused to take his meds. We got engaged but in the end I couldn't handle it, I knew that if I continued to be in that relationship and follow it by the greatest commitment known to mankind, I would end up in a hospital or worse, in a body bag. I found out he died, alone and I blamed myself for a long, long time. They called me to identified the body, the only thing in his possession was my business card from when I first got hired in White Collar."

Gia could see the inner turmoil the redhead still had, even after all this time. She leaned and cupped Casey's cheek with her hand, "Casey, I'm sure you did all you could to save him. This wasn't on you, please, don't blame yourself."

Casey nodded, "I know, still doesn't take away the fact that I could've done better by him, you know?"

Gia shook her head, "No, I don't because if you acted like this towards him as you're doing to me, you did way more than asked for. You're a great woman, Counselor."

Casey chuckled and leaned her head into Gia's hand, bringing her own to cradle the other woman's there on her face, "So are you, Detective; so are you."

They stayed like that for heartbeats; neither of them saying anything, just staring into each other's eyes; something that had become the norm between them. You could feel the attraction that radiated through them in the modern kitchen of the attorney's apartment.

What if they took a chance in love? What if they gave in into their feelings, would it really be so bad? There was no law or rule that could stop them from being together, but to avoid people talking and defense attorney's getting hold of this information, one of them would have to move. That much they knew, but did it had to come down to that?

Gia ran her hand down Casey's cheek and jaw, stopping at her lips, and running her thumb across her bottom lip. Casey took a sharp intake of air, her body melting at Gia's touch. Gia smiled; proud of herself that such small manipulation could cause such a reaction out of the redhead. She leaned in and in a moment of boldness, her lips crashed against the redhead's, _So soft and supple_.

Her arm circled Casey's waist, crashing their bodies together. Casey breathed in hard, overpowering the woman in her kiss, quickly deepening the fall. Casey moaned when she felt Gia's teeth dig into her plump bottom lip and when she went to pull back she found herself trapped in Gia's hold. Her eyes opened just to catch the other woman's smirk. Gia released Casey's lip, quickly leaning in and placing a quick peck to the bottom lip.

"I really like you, Casey," Gia said breathily, "but I don't want us to do anything until after trial. Defense already has enough ammunition with you having my daughter and I here."

"You're right, I want to properly court you if you allow me to. And, your daughter, Gia," Casey brought her hand to the woman's cheek, careful of her bruise, "I know I have to court her too, you're a package deal," she said smiling.

Gia nodded, smiling, "That we are," she finished with a yawn.

Casey tittered, "Go, sleep. I'll see you in the morning to go over your testimony and trial prep, ok?"

Gia nodded and with the help of the redhead attorney, she made it to her door without much strain to her ankle. She bid the attorney a good night once more and she headed to the bed to lie next to her daughter. She fell into blissful sleep pretty quickly after that, whether it was because of sheer exhaustion or the help of the pain medication.

* * *

She woke when she felt the gentle stirring of the small body that lay next to hers; her daughter was looking at her with bright hopeful eyes, Gia couldn't help but smile. Thankful that the doctor had taken into account that she was still breastfeeding, all of her prescriptions were safe for her to take while breastfeeding. She sat on the bed, bringing Beau's body to hers and standing. It was the only way she could hold Beau without putting force on her ribs. She kissed her baby girl on the cheek, riling her up lightly. She walked to the living room, expecting to see Casey, but the apartment seemed quiet and Casey's bedroom door was open.

She sat on the couch and took notice of the time, it was nine in the morning and she wondered, how long had Beau been awake. She could feel the pressure that had been built overnight and over the previous day on her chest, she needed to relieve it, soon. She cradled her daughter and the girl began stirring, recognizing the all-familiar position. Beau suckled on Gia's breast, an overwhelming feeling falling upon Gia. She had missed her daughter and she would never forgive herself for staying in such environment. She rubbed on the baby's cheek, smiling down at her. The girl grabbed on her mother's finger and rocked her hands and kicked her feet as she enjoyed her breakfast.

Gia, too enveloped in her daughter's contentment did not hear when the door opened or when the two women walked in, laughing and giggling with each other. It was Beau's stare that went to the sudden noise when Gia noticed Casey and Alex staring at her with their hands filled with grocery bags. Beau gave a toothy grin towards Casey and returned to latch onto her mother.

"Oh, Casey," Gia said, scrambling to find something to cover herself, "I'm sorry. I—I didn't realize… I—I'll go back to the room," she said as she positioned herself to try and get up from the couch.

"No, no," Casey said, smiling, "you're fine. You don't have to hide to feed your daughter, Gia. This is your home now too, don't feel uncomfortable."

"Besides," Alex added, "it's not the first time she's seen that happen."

Gia relaxed a little after knowing that Casey had seen Alex breastfeed before, "Do you breastfeed on all her meals?"

"I used to," Gia answered Alex, who was in the kitchen now with Casey, "Now, it's only in the mornings and before bed, unless she eats solids; like last night. But, like the little glutton she is, she'll eat twice if I'm not careful," Gia chuckled, sucking in a breath having exacerbated the pain in her ribs.

"Have you eaten?" Casey asked.

"No, I just woke up a couple of minutes ago," she answered.

"Are you hungry?" Alex asked, "Olivia took the kids for breakfast and later they're going to the park. Casey and I thought to make breakfast, allergies?"

By this time, Beau had already finished her feeding. Gia draped her over her shoulder and channeled all her strength to her legs, pushing herself up from the couch and approaching the bar that separated the living room from the kitchen, "Cats, but no food allergies," Gia replied.

"Good, I don't think I could've handled more allergies when I'm cooking. Between Casey's mushroom and strawberry allergy and Caroline and Ethan's nut allergy, I am going insane," Alex, mused.

Casey rolled her eyes, "I don't even like mushrooms anyways, though strawberries," she groaned, "that's an allergy I developed when I was a teenager. It sucked!"

Alex giggled as she finished unpacking, "Who's free today? Other than Olivia, I mean," Gia asked as she burped Beau.

"They're all off," Casey said, looking up from cutting a bell pepper, "Why?"

"I need a clothes job and Beau's belongings. Everything else can be thrown away," she said, rubbing her daughter's back.

Casey and Alex looked at each other, "Are you sure?"

Gia nodded, continuing burping, "I just want my clothes and Beau's stuff. I don't care about anything else."

Casey nodded, "Alright, I'll call the team."

"No, let me," Gia offered, "I'll call Carisi and tell him."

She disappeared down the hall, still burping the baby draped in her arms. She ducked in the room and sat on the bed, continuing to burp Beau. She called Carisi who had been running around with Amanda's three-year-old daughter as he sounded winded and full of life. She felt bad, but she needed her belongings. They talked for a while and she apologized profusely and he dismissed each and every one of them. Even Amanda told her to shove it with her apologies. She sure hit the lottery with her squad members of the one-six. Carisi said that he would call Fin and between the both of them and Amanda's direction they were sure to finish that same day. She called and made the reservation for a U-Haul van and sent Amanda the information.

After changing Beau's diaper and cladding her in a beautiful mint long sleeve onesie with matching headband she placed a jingle bell bracelet on the baby's wrist. Once she started crawling, her mother had made a bracelet with five jingle bells and pipe cleaners for the baby's wrist. That way she could entertain herself with the noise and the adults would know where she's at all times. She exited the room and closed the door to her room, Casey's room, and the bathroom. She went to place the baby on the ground and noticed that bending caused her a great deal of pain. She thought of just fighting through it, but noticed she couldn't do it.

"Uh, Alex," she said, walking down the hallway towards the kitchen.

"Yea," Alex piped quickly.

"Could you put her on the ground, please? Bending hurts a lot," Gia said, a sheep smile falling on her lips.

"Sure," Alex said, taking the baby from Gia's arms.

"Don't you look cute," Casey quipped, gaining her self a rowdy squeal, "What? You want something from here?" She asked the baby.

Beau answered by squealing some more. Casey shook her head as she looked around for something to give the baby. She saw the sliced bananas and looked at Gia for approval, "Casey, she'll eat anything. You don't need my permission to feed her. I trust you," she conceded.

Casey handed Beau two slices of banana that she took and ate effortlessly, "Glutton," Alex mumbled, setting her down by Gia's feet. Beau took off, the bracelet jingling at her every move.

"Why didn't I think of that when mine were crawling? Would've saved me a lot of headaches," Alex said, returning to her task in the kitchen.

The women could hear Beau's bracelet jingling back towards the kitchen, "Just tell her no, she'll listen. Be stern," Gia said to Casey.

Beau attempted to enter the kitchen and Casey did as Gia said, "No, Beau; kitchen is off limits, young lady."

Beau looked up at the redhead and went to take another step, but was blocked by the tall woman, "No," Casey said, sternly but softly.

Beau turned and crawled towards the living room. Casey smiled and Alex smiled at Casey and Gia. They seemed to be extremely comfortable with each other and Alex couldn't be happier that Casey had finally opened up her heart for someone to claim after a failed attempt with Kim Greylek. The women ate their breakfast and Alex snuck bananas to Beau as she continued to explore the apartment.

By the time noon rolled around, Carisi, Fin, Amanda, and Jesse were at the apartment, settling everything in Casey's spare room. Amanda, Gia, Jesse, and Beau played in the living room all while the boys settled everything where it was needed. Casey paid them with pizza and beer and by the time they left, all that was needed to be done, was hang up Gia's closet clothes and put away the suitcases that were packed for her. Beau's chest, changing table, and crib fit perfectly with Casey's desk. It was cramped, but it worked.

She was ready to open a new chapter in life.

She was ready to be happy again.


	11. Chapter 11

_**Chapter 11**_

The next two weeks went by quickly. Casey and Gia adjusted to having each other in the apartment. They respected each other's boundaries and Gia tried her best to keep Beau under control, not wanting to upset the other woman. Casey had been working from home and only going in unless she had a motions or appeals hearing. Beau and Casey were definitely smitten with each other, it was like they were the same person: stubborn, playful, caring, and hilarious.

There were times that Gia, in her drug induced stupor would wake up from a nap and could hear the two of them "arguing" over what snack to have. Gia would try to laugh, but the pain that the action caused her ribs was still unbearable. Their "relationship" was at a slight halt. They would steal glances here and there; coy touches, meaningful smiles, and the sexual tension could be seen and felt between the two.

Gia received visitors every now and then. Most of them consisting of the members of the one-six and Bureau Chief Cabot. They all knew about the feelings the women bore for each other, and knew they weren't acting on it, other than that first kiss they shared on the first night. What did surprise them was the domesticity that had fallen upon the pair. Casey would cater to Beau just as much as Gia would and on specific times, Beau would choose Casey to do a specific task. Beau was incredibly smart for her young age, sometimes too smart for her own good.

The day had finally arrived. The day Gia would face Sam in court after almost a month of her attack. She was nervous and couldn't sleep well the night before. She had stayed up all night, pacing the room, tossing in bed, and had even invited the baby to sleep on the bed, something she seldom did. Casey hadn't been oblivious to the woman's restlessness; she could hear her from the other room. She contemplated on crossing the threshold and seeing if she would like to talk, but in the end, decided against it; she was battling her own nervousness.

This case had been eating at her; she needed to perform at her best; this was a colleague for Heaven's sake. The court gallery would most definitely be filled with members of the force, as well as the members of the one-six; all eyes were going to be on her.

They were both up early. Gia heard some ruckus coming from the kitchen and decided to give up on attempting to sleep for a couple of minutes. She rounded the wall that separated the kitchen from the hall and saw Casey perched against the kitchen counter with a cup of coffee on one hand and a piece of buttered toast on the other.

She was wearing an oversized t-shirt with no shorts to cover the miles of flesh that were exposed and stretched in front of her. Gia could not take her eyes off of the leggy redhead in front of her. Inches of smooth porcelain skin that stopped just underneath the hem of her shirt and the shadow her bottom created, enticing. Gia bit her lip as Casey cleared her throat, "Good morning Detective, see something you like?"

Gia's stare went up the redhead's face. Casey was smirking and had a glint on those beautiful green eyes, "Only two things," Gia flirted as she leaned on the kitchen's archway.

"And those are?" Casey asked, running her fingers through her hair.

"The first is a pair of legs," she said, running her tongue across her bottom lip, "the second, is the woman that said legs belong to," she said huskily.

A shudder ran down Casey's spine, "Stop looking at me like I'm a piece of meat, _Detective_ ," Casey bit her lip after taking a swig of coffee.

"I cannot help it, Counselor. You know I'm a woman with a big appetite," Gia winked at Casey as she walked back towards the room, stuck on beginning to get ready for the day.

* * *

She was nervous, extremely nervous. She had spoken to her parents, finally, about what had happened during that time of her "undercover mission". Her father wanted to personally kill Samantha, her mother could not stop crying, and Isabella; poor Isabella, she was doing much better. Apparently, her parents had enrolled her in English lessons and she was thriving and doing relatively well in school. They did have a hearing coming soon about more permanent placement for her. She seemed to be loving her stay at the Rosa's household and had even started calling them 'abuela' and 'abuelo' something the pair definitely didn't mind.

She was pacing the holding room. It was all she could do. She thought about the case, facing Sam, what would she have her attorney do, was he really such a pig? She thought about her daughter and how she could tell that this morning, her mother wasn't feeling particularly well. She clung to Gia and Gia to her, thank God for Alex volunteering to watch Beau until the hearing was over.

She had agreed, as she had come to trust Alex and Beau seemed at ease around every one of them, she wasn't worried about that. Casey had told her that she was going to bring forth the testimony of the officers that took the first five calls, then her partner in Miami Narcotics, then Carisi, Amanda, Fin, a doctor, Olivia, and then her. If her time served her right, Olivia should be on the stand at this instant.

"Please state your name and occupation for the record," Casey asked, pacing in front of her desk.

"Lt. Olivia Benson, Manhattan Special Victims Unit," Olivia said matter-of-factly.

"You are SVU's commanding officer, correct?" Casey asked, developing a line of questioning.

"Yes," she answered simply.

"What can you tell us about Detective Rosa?" Casey asked, leaning against her desk.

"She's fiery, dedicated, knows how to empathize with the victim… she's a great Detective."

"Have you noticed any odd behavior over the past few months with Detective Rosa, Lieutenant?" Casey asked, approaching Olivia.

"Yes."

"Could you describe her behavior Lieutenant?"

"Yes; she has been jumpy, squirrely, skittish… She was adamant on being able to leave before midnight or at midnight, constantly checking her watch and phone. She would have constant and sudden injuries to her face and neck… classic signs of Domestic Abuse," Olivia mentioned.

"Objection!" blared the attorney from the Defense, "The Lieutenant is not a trained psychologist, Your Honor."

"Your Honor, I believe that the Lieutenant's exposure to victims of Domestic Abuse on the line of job, first as Detective of the unit for nearly fifteen years and now its Commanding Officer, gives her a little of insight on what she's talking about," Casey defended.

"Overruled, you may proceed Ms. Novak," the Honorable Judge Elana Barth conceded.

Casey nodded and continued, "Lieutenant, did you confront your Detective on said injuries?"

"Yes, I did."

"And, what would she say?" Casey asked.

"She would tell me that she fell on her way home, that she was still trying to maneuver around the slick sidewalks of New York, that she worried her lip too much, or that her daughter was learning to pinch…" Olivia recounted.

"And, how do you know that some of these injuries weren't caused on the line of duty?" There was an audible groan from the Defense's table and Casey smiled, she knew she had ruined Buchanan's cross.

"I know what happens to my Detectives in the line of duty and I am a Detective. For many years my job was to observe and remember detail. I know how my Detectives look like when they leave the precinct and I take notice of how they come back; I would've known if any of the injuries were caused in the line of fire, they were not," Olivia concluded.

"Thank you, Lieutenant," Casey said as she smiled and turned her back to Olivia.

"Mr. Buchanan," Judge Barth begun, "Your witness."

"Good morning Lieutenant," he said with a smug grin.

"Good morning," Olivia responded.

"Do you say that you trust your Detectives?" he begun.

"Yes, I have to," Olivia said, smiling.

"Do you trust Detective Rosa?" he asked, approaching slowly.

"Yes," Olivia said, furrowing her brow, not understanding what he was trying to do.

"Then why wouldn't you believe her when she'd tell you that she fell or that she was worrying her lip?" he beamed through the gallery.

"I—I didn't say that. Often times, victims of Domestic Abuse lie to their family members, coworkers, fri—" Olivia was interrupted by Buchanan.

"So, she is a liar?" he said smugly.

Olivia clenched her jaw, "I didn't say that either, Counselor."

"But, you implied it," he offered.

"Objection!" Casey shouted as she stood.

"Withdrawn," he said quickly, smirking, "Nothing further."

Olivia scoffed and glared at Casey, "You may step down, Lieutenant."

Casey gave an apologetic smile to Olivia as she retired herself from the witness stand. She knew the older woman was upset with her, but she couldn't object to everything Buchanan said because, honestly, she had no grounds and the Judge was just going to overrule everything. She knew that the tensions were running high in that gallery, she could feel it, she could sense it; hell, if she turned around, she could _see_ it. Many members of the NYPD were there, dressed in blue, black, and white. Different ranks, different divisions but all of the same family; all were Gia's family.

"I call to the stand, Detective Giovanna Rosa," Casey begun.

"Ms. Novak, after lunch recess. Court's adjourned; we'll reconvene in an hour," Judge Barth banged her gavel and stood as both attorneys stood as well.

Casey gathered her belongings and exited after everyone was already gone. Once through the doors, she saw the members of the one-six, "Buchanan is playing no games today," Fin begun, "What the hell was that? Twisting words like we're not listening."

"That's his job, what the hell was I supposed to do, Fin?" Olivia was fuming.

"Nobody is blaming you, Liv," Casey intervened, "And, before you say anything, you know I couldn't object to his questions, I had no base."

Olivia sighed and continued pacing. She caught him and Samantha standing at the other side of the courthouse, smiling and chatting like nothing was happening, "Look at them," she scoffed, "I just want to fucking erase that smug look off of his face," she said.

The team turned to watch the scene unfold. Samantha seemed cocky and confident that this was going to work out to her favor, "God, I hate that woman," Amanda said.

Carisi and Casey chuckled, "Don't we all?"

"Ok, what's for lunch?" Fin asked.

"Maybe just go to Stage Door," Carisi mentioned, "Bring back something for Alex and Beau as well, we can all eat together."

They all looked at each other and nodded, "I'll go with you Carisi," Amanda offered, "We'll meet in Alex's office?"

"Yes, that's fine," Casey, said.

They left to find Alex and Beau. Beau was crawling all over Alex's floor with her little jingle bells bracelet fastened to her wrist. Alex was behind her desk, constantly glancing up to make sure the baby wasn't getting in any trouble as well as multitasking with some files. A few of Alex's subordinates had found every excuse in the book to be in their Bureau Chief's office today, just to sit and play with the baby.

 _Knock, knock, knock._

"I swear Rossi, if that's you for the sixth time today… Come in!" Alex shouted in exasperation.

"Tough day," Casey cooed as she opened the door.

Alex sighed, "You have no idea," she said, dropping her glasses on her desk.

Beau upon hearing the familiar voice emerged from behind Alex's desk on all fours. Squealing and crawling as fast as she could towards the redhead, the team followed behind her. Casey sat on the couch adjacent to the door and waited for Beau to stand with the help of Casey's legs, "Hey there sweetheart," she said, picking up the baby and sitting her on her lap, "Have you been bothering Alex?"

Alex stood to meet Olivia with a kiss as Fin took a seat next to Casey and Beau, "Actually, she's been amazing. She was quiet for some time and I knew something was wrong, she had soiled herself… actually, it's time for a diaper change, she's been drinking a lot of water and apple juice," Alex said, "I thought that bracelet of hers was going to be a distraction, but it's a fantastic idea."

Olivia walked over and sat on the floor where Alex had dumped all of her toys on the colorful mat, "She's a great kid, just like her mom," she finished looking at Casey.

Casey blushed and continued playing with Beau, "What are you all doing here? Lunch recess?"

"Yea, Buchanan is a fucking asshole," Olivia begun, "twisting all of my words when I was on the stand."

"Language, Olivia," Alex admonished, "I know what a slime ball he is. Don't let him get under your skin, baby."

Olivia rolled her eyes and mumbled something unintelligible under her breath. Casey chuckled and stood, "I'm going to change her diaper, I'll be back," she said standing with Beau and grabbing a diaper and the travel wipe warmer.

She made her way to the ladies restroom and set down the diaper-changing tray. She was making faces at the girl, keeping her calm and entertained as she changed her diaper. Beau was kicking her arms and legs as she blew raspberries, the jingling from her bracelet filling the quiet room. As Casey was finishing up, the door opened. She didn't know who walked in, as her back was turned to the door. It wasn't until she heard her voice, "Counselor," Sam said.

Casey tensed and as she did, Beau did the same, "Ms. Martin, we're not supposed to engage so, if you'll excuse me," Casey said as she finished putting Beau's mint jeggings back on and picking her up.

She walked to the trash can to dispose of the soiled diaper and when she turned she almost collided with Sam, "Hey there Beau," Sam said, going to touch the girl.

Casey pulled back before she could touch the baby, "Excuse me Ms. Martin, I need to be getting back to my office; Beau hasn't eaten yet."

"Who's watching her?" Sam asked, a smirk pulling at her lips.

" _That_ is none of your concern, good afternoon," Casey said as she walked past her.

Beau hadn't moved or babbled since she noted the presence of Samantha in the room. For an almost eight-month-old, she could pick up on the discomfort of those surrounding her. On the walk back to Alex's office, Casey cradled her close to her chest and evened out her breathing, willing the baby back to her rowdy self. By the time they reached Alex's office Beau had relaxed, still quiet but relaxed.

When she entered the office, Sonny and Amanda had returned from the deli with food for all and were already digging in to their lunches. Rollins pointed to a small size soup bowl next to a Caesar salad, a bottle of water, and Beau's bottle. She sat down on the couch as Carisi went to sit on the floor. She shook her salad bowl to mix everything well and opened the potato and chicken soup. Casey sat Beau next to her and fed her a spoonful, careful not to burn the baby with the hot liquid. She alternated between eating and feeding the child until Olivia finished with her Panini and took Beau to finish feeding her.

Casey told the room about the altercation in the restroom and it didn't sit well with anybody, including her. She knew there was going to be some type of mishap during cross and she was definitely not looking forward to it. She asked Sonny if he had taken food to Gia to which he responded yes, but he didn't think that she would be doing much eating.

They ate and shared jokes, watched how Olivia and Alex discussed the kids, and they saw a new side of Casey. Beau had been getting fussy after her lunch, she didn't want to be held by Olivia or Alex, Amanda or Sonny, but she didn't want to be on the floor either, she was tired and ready for her nap. Casey took the bottle with Gia's milk and fed Beau as she rocked her gently. She had seen Gia do it a dozen times; it was the only way to get her to settle. Before she could finish her bottle, she was already asleep in Casey's arms.

Casey studied the girl; this is how she imagined her mother looked like when she slept, pouty lips parted, one hand on her chest, and the other clutching Casey's blazer. Olivia looked at Alex and nodded towards where Casey was sitting with Beau, Alex smiled. After seeing Casey suffer and be consumed by Greylek, she was happy that her friend was happy once more.

The team noticed the time and decided to head back to the courthouse, Casey handed Beau back to Alex, kissing her cheek, and thanking her friend. On the way back, she still couldn't shake the feeling that Sam had been sent there for some reason. She needed her mind clear and in the game, it was Gia's turn to testify now and she was not going to let this case go down the drain.


	12. Chapter 12

_**Chapter 12**_

"Your Honor, I'd like to call Detective Giovanna Rosa to the stand," Casey begun.

The doors opened and revealed Gia, clad with light grey capris culottes with a white long sleeve turtleneck tucked inside her pants, and nude pumps. As she passed Casey, she left her sweet scent lingering in the air. Casey smiled and hid her blushing cheeks; she shouldn't be day dreaming right now. She needed to focus and get her head in the game for anything that could happen in the courtroom, especially after the altercation with Sam at the restroom, "Please state your name and occupation for the record," Casey begun.

"Detective Giovanna Rosa, Manhattan Special Victims Unit," Gia said, evening her breath out as the pain in her ribs settled.

"Detective Rosa," Casey said, walking to a whiteboard with pictures of her most recent injuries, "do you recognize these photographs?"

"Yes, I do," she said.

"Your Honor, People exhibit thirteen A through P. Detective Rosa, could you tell the jury what these are?"

Gia nodded and swallowed, "They are pictures of the injuries I sustained three weeks ago."

"Can you state your injuries for the record?"

"Yes, I have nine fractured ribs, multiple bruises and contusions to the stomach and chest area, and my right eye had a broken eye socket that was corrected through minor surgery," Gia finished.

"Do you remember how you came upon these injuries, Detective?" Casey asked, smiling at Gia.

"I had just gotten off from work after a rather long case. I arrived home and my then girlfriend, Defendant Samantha Martin, begun shouting and asking me where I had been," Gia said through labored breathing.

"Let the record show that Detective Rosa has identified Defendant, Samantha Martin as her assailant. What happened next?" Casey continued.

"I told her that I had been at work, that there was nowhere else that I had been. She called me a liar and delivered a blow to my face that rendered me slightly unconscious," Gia breathed slowly.

"And, then?"

"She proceeded to kick me. She was mumbling something under her breath, but I couldn't make out what exactly she was saying. Last I remember, she had punched my eye so hard that I fainted," she said, taking a quick breath in and wincing subtly.

"What do you remember happening next, Detective?" Casey asked, "Please, let me know if you need some time."

Gia nodded, "Thank you, Counselor. Next I remember, I was cold and being aroused by a doctor at what I know now was a hospital setting."

Casey approached the whiteboard once more and flipped four pictures around, "People's exhibit thirteen Q through T, photographs of Detective Giovanna Rosa at Bellevue Hospital Center under tinfoil blankets with several heated blankets and devices due to her severe hypothermic state after having lain for over four hours on snow and slush overnight," Casey boomed through the gallery, "Detective Rosa, were you aware that you lain on the cold ground overnight?"

"No," Gia said, her breath catching on her throat after hearing the facts that had already been explained to her.

"Do you know how you ended up in South Brooklyn in the middle of the night?"

"N—No," she breathed out.

"Detective Rosa, on the night in question, after CSU recovered your clothing it had been noted that your clothing had been covered in alcohol, do you know how could that have been?" Casey brought into play.

"I do not but Ms. Martin _was_ inebriated when the assault occurred," Gia conceded.

"Thank you, Detective. No further questions," Casey finished.

Gia breathed steadily, careful not to further push her pain. The Defense attorney stood and buttoned his jacket, "Good afternoon, Detective, how are you feeling?"

"I'm in discomfort, but nothing I cannot handle," Gia said, attempting, but failing to give a smile.

"How long have you known the Defendant?" Buchanan asked.

"Roughly eleven years," she said, shifting in her seat.

"And in those eleven years, you only filed a complaint the first two years and… now?" he said, shuffling with some papers on his table.

"Yes," she answered.

"So, out of the eleven years, one could say that seven of them you were relatively fine in the relationship?"

"Relatively being the key word, yes," Gia said.

"You've been a detective for four years, correct?" Gia answered affirmatively, "What did you do before then?"

"I was a Patrol Officer in the Miami-Dade County in Miami, Florida."

"Recent graduate from college, enters the Academy and makes patrol quickly after graduating and in less than three years, makes Detective in Narcotics; I wonder Detective—"

"Do you have a question Counselor, or are you just going to browbeat me?" Gia grumbled before Casey shouted her objection.

"Your Honor, he is testifying and I agree with the witness, _is_ there a question here?"

"I'm getting to it, Your Honor," Buchanan said.

"Get to it Mr. Buchanan, I will not tolerate your antics today."

He nodded, "What did you do before?"

"Objection," Casey stood, "Asked and answered."

"Your Honor, I—" Buchanan began pleading his case.

"Enough," Judge Barth pounded her gavel, "Move on Counselor, I _will not_ repeat myself. Sustained."

Buchanan nodded and Casey smiled, avoiding Gia a public humiliation, "Detective Rosa, where are you staying at the moment?"

"Objection: Relevance," Casey said.

"Your Honor it goes to prove that maybe this is just a vendetta against my client," he said smugly.

" _Maybe_? Your Honor," Casey begun, but was soon interrupted by Judge Barth.

"Counsel, approach."

Casey and Buchanan approached and whispered with the Judge. In the end, the Judge concluded that she was to overrule Casey's objection and give Buchanan a little leeway to continue his cross, "Detective Rosa," Judge Barth said, "you may answer the question."

Gia sighed, "At the moment, I am residing in Ms. Novak's dwelling with my daughter."

"Ah, I see," he said smugly, leaving it in the air and open for interpretation about Casey and Gia's relationship, "Nothing further," he said, moving back to his table.

"Redirect Your Honor," Casey said, standing.

Judge Barth nodded, "Detective, is there a romantic relationship between you and I as Defense Counsel has implied?"

"No."

"Were we in a relationship prior to this hearing or altercation?"

"No."

"Thank you, no further questions."

Casey sat and breathed out, "Detective, you may step down. Mr. Buchanan, your turn to plead the case."

Gia exited the courtroom, leaving briefly to check on Beau who was still sleeping in Alex's office. She thanked Alex and returned to the gallery to sit next to her coworkers. Sonny squeezed her knee in solidarity and smiled at her. She could finally breathe easy as Buchanan pled the case for Sam. He brought some of her coworkers as well as her boss. He even brought her new love interest, some woman by the name of Andrea who in Amanda's eyes looked like Gia's twin except for some minor discrepancies like the color of her eyes and the length in her hair, but other than, she could pass as Gia. Buchanan brought in Gia's attending doctor and spoke about her injuries, but when it was time for Casey's cross, it was more than clear that the injuries had been induced by one person and not by multiple people or things as Defense had implied.

The time had come for Sam to be placed on the stand and Casey was more than eager to have a go at her. Whilst Buchanan attempted to make her seem like a great girlfriend, one who supported Gia at her darkest and not so finest moments in life, one who loved and stayed by her side, one who took care of her daughter and asked nothing in return; Casey plotted how to have the jury see her for who she really was, a violent, good for nothing abuser. Buchanan bantered with his client on the stand, just to prove that "such a sweet loving woman could possibly not inflict such brutal and violent injuries upon one of New York's finest," _It's cockamamie bullshit, it's what I believe,_ "Objection, testifying," Casey chimed in earning herself a sustained verdict by the Judge. By then Buchanan had finished and it was now Casey's turn to cross.

Gia's stare landed on Casey's and with a sheep smile towards the redheaded woman she hope to convey everything that she was thinking. That no matter what happened, Casey had given it her all and she understood that; that no matter what, Gia would stand by her side and now she would truly be free. Casey nodded and proceeded to pace in front of the witness box, she gathered her thoughts and began.

She asked probing questions, she showed the video surveillance—again—of her dropping Gia in the cold in front of a bodega. At first glance it looks like she's "helping" her, but no one helps someone and then leaves him or her to die in the middle of the street. Casey was getting frustrated and it was showing. Gia nudged Carisi and asked him for his LawPro and pen, he fussed but gave it to her. She scribbled something on it, tore it, and handed it to Amanda. Amanda smirked and nodded, crumpling the piece of paper and shoving it in her jacket pocket. Gia scribbled something else, folded it, and handed it to Amanda. Amanda took the paper and exited the pews and gallery. She returned in less than two minutes, as Casey happened to look up in the middle of a question.

Amanda handed Casey the folded paper and looked back towards Sam and then to Gia who simply smiled and winked at Casey. Sam grumbled on the stand and Casey turned around and paced once more, "So, you really had no idea she lain just a couple of blocks from your apartment building?"

"No, like I—" Samantha tried, but Casey was quick to interrupt her.

"But, we can see it, clear as day. That _is_ you Ms. Martin," Casey added, "Were your knuckles bloodied in the video?"

"I t—"

"Just a simple yes or no will suffice Ms. Martin," Casey said, interrupting her train of thought.

Gia could see Sam heaving, she was getting upset and if there was something that would upset Sam more is when someone didn't let her finish her thoughts, "Yes," Sam said between clenched teeth.

"And, when police picked you up and brought the experts in to swab your knuckles, wasn't it determined that the blood belonged to Detective Rosa?" Casey explained.

"Yea, she was on her period l—" Sam tried once more before Casey interrupted her.

"Oh yea, period," Casey said, signaling with her index finger, "but our medical examiner concluded and stated that period blood is different from regular blood due to its composition and physical properties. So, how about the truth Ms. Martin?"

Sam was smoldering now. If the courthouse could catch fire, it would've by now due to this woman's anger, "Are you going to let me talk and finish my train of thought or do I ha—" Sam begun before catching herself.

Casey raised a perfectly shaped brow and smirked, "Have to what Ms. Martin? What do you have to do? Tune me up like you did with the Detective?"

"Objection!"

"Ms. Novak!"

"Withdrawn," Casey said calmly, "The People rests," she finished, a rogue smile painted on her beautiful plump lips.

Olivia had been trying to hide her amusement, but couldn't. Casey had nailed her ass to the wall and she couldn't be more ecstatic about it. Not just for Gia but for Casey as well. Olivia knew that the woman always had trouble with these types of cases, even if she didn't express it, Olivia knew. She knew the history that went behind her and Charlie and she knew that every time an abuser was set free because their partner did not want to cooperate with the Detectives or her, Casey got frustrated with her self and the victim. The Judge called recess until the next morning where closing arguments were to be delivered and the jury will be sent out to deliberate. Judge Barth exited, then the jury, and the rest of the gallery was free to go.

The team gathered outside of the doors when Casey exited. Gia was quick to have her body pressed against the older woman's, wrapped in a warm embrace. Casey nuzzled her face in the woman's hair, inhaling the intoxicating scent, letting her self be engulfed by it. When they parted, it took everything for them not to bring their lips together. That's all they wanted to do, it's all their bodies wanted to do but they needed to fight the urge. Their relationship had just been aired out to open court and they had denied it fully and wholly. Not that they were lying but the feelings were real, the bond mutual and unbreakable. They wanted and needed each other just as much as the next person needed air. Mind over matter, they chanted in their minds. The team congratulated Casey for having Sam cornered in that way and for getting her to have that outburst on the stand. They all wanted to go out and celebrate but Gia wanted her daughter, she needed the sweet baby in her arms.

They all walked towards Alex's office where a rowdy Beau could be heard squealing from the inside. Gia shook her head, anticipating her daughter's excitement upon seeing her face. Olivia knocked first before opening the door, walking in followed by the rest of the team. Gia and Casey were the last ones to enter and rapidly Gia scanned the room, noticing Beau sitting on the floor with a tall, lanky man with shaggy hair. He was handsome and completely smitten with the baby in front of him.

"Beau," Gia said, kneeling so that the girl could have her at closer eye level.

Beau scanned the room at the mention of her name and squealed once she saw who mentioned her name. The girl mumbled and babbled 'mama' as she got in position to start towards where her mother was, "Hi baby," Gia said, excited to finally see her daughter after being all day without her.

The girl picked up her pace until she's standing with the help of her mother's legs in front of the woman. She leaned against Gia's body as Gia used her lower body muscles to push herself into a standing position. She cradled her daughter against her shoulder and supported her back as she hugged and swung side to side with her.

"Beautiful baby you have there," the man said.

Gia snapped her head up, "Thanks," she said, keeping the conversation short as she eyed Casey who was catching Alex up with the details of the case.

"ADA Brian Peluso, Homicide," he said, extending his hand for Gia to grab.

"Detective Giovanna Rosa, SVU," Gia answered, capturing the man's hand in a firm shake, smiling up at him.

"Ah," he said, "I heard about your case, I extend my apologies to you and all that's happened."

Gia eyed him, he seemed sincere and obviously interested, "Thanks," Gia mentioned as her eyes searched for her partner, "Dom," she shouted, "care to take us back to the apartment? I think someone needs a bath and dinner and I'm not just talking about Beau here."

The team chuckled, "Sure, uh let me gather her stuff and we'll leave," Carisi said.

"Thank you, Dom," she said batting her eyelashes at him, "And, thank you Alex for keeping an eye on her, she wasn't too bad, was she?"

"Oh no," she responded quickly, "Bad were my subordinates, did you get _any_ work done Brian?"

He scratched his head and shrugged, "Such a pretty lady in here, I had to keep her company," he said, glancing at Beau, but winking at Gia.

"Casey," Gia mumbled, "I'll see you at home tonight, yea? I know you'll be out celebrating with the gang, but I'll have dinner ready and waiting for you."

Amanda and Fin snickered, "I won't be too late," Casey conceded.

Gia nodded as Carisi opened the door for her, "Bye guys," she said to everyone, "Nice to meet you, Counselor," she finished with an impish smile on her face.


	13. Chapter 13

_**Chapter 13**_

Bright and early saw Olivia and Gia in Part 71 eagerly listening to Casey deliver her closing arguments. She spoke eloquently about Gia's accomplishments thus far in the unit as well as her past accomplishments in the Narcotics unit back in Miami. She recapped the contents of the surveillance video as well as the past assaults on Sam's records. She pled the jury to deliver a guilty verdict and reminded them that just because the charges on Assault against a Police Officer couldn't be brought forth that they should remember that she is and always will be an officer of the law.

With that, Buchanan stepped forth and countered on Casey's speech. He mentioned the "shadiness" to which Gia had became a detective so quickly and continued to soil her good name. She mentioned that Sam had been a model student and a town hero back in Miami, and just because she didn't have community ties here in the city, where she had blindly followed the love of her life did not mean that she should be treated contritely as opposed to her counterpart.

Casey then stood once more to counter what Buchanan had said. She delivered facts in this part of her closing argument. She mentioned how quickly she had made detective was for the fact that the force took away a year if you had a bachelor's degree under your belt, she mentioned her dexterity whilst at patrol, and later on the deftness of her work as a Narcotics Detective. Casey of course she mentioned the fact that her father belonged and took early retirement as a Major with the Marine Patrol _before_ Gia graduated college and thought about applying with the force.

All in all, Casey's ability to deliver such an eloquent and well-thought out argument filled the team with an air of pride. _This_ is how a prosecutor was supposed to be in all of the cases, not just because of the political aspect of it all.

As the jury left to deliberate, the attorneys and several people in the pews had dispersed. The Grand Jury hadn't taken long to indict and they were hopeful that with all the evidence and testimonies brought forward that the jury wouldn't take long at all. Closing arguments had taken a good part of the morning and they were nearing lunch so like the prior day, they met in Alex's office where once more you could find the Bureau Chief with the rowdy seven-month-old.

Upon entering, Olivia was quick to envelop her wife in an embrace, as Casey and Gia entered and spread around the office. Alex had Beau on her lap and was feeding her applesauce for her mid-morning snack. Gia looked exhausted both physically and mentally, she was also in pain—not having taken her pain medication for the past two days was really taking a toll on her healing ribs.

Gia flipped her hair over the back of Alex's office couch and sat slanted, placing her hand on her forehead, and evening her breathing. Casey was conferring with one of Alex's books when she saw the grimacing face of the detective, "Gia, are you ok?"

Gia opened her eyes and shook her head. "Pain meds are too strong and make me sleepy, in order to be able to testify I couldn't take them," she finished, grabbing at her sides. "I need some ibuprofen."

Casey turned to Alex, "Do you have ibuprofen, Al? Gia's in a lot of pain."

Alex chanced a glance to the woman and could physically see the type of pain that she was in. She switched Beau on her knees and bent to rummage her bottom drawer, retrieving an ibuprofen bottle and tossing it to the redhead. Casey smiled and opened the bottle, shaking three round pills into her hand. "Here, all you had to do was ask, baby," the term of endearment slipping from her lips before she was able to retrieve it.

Gia smiled. "Thanks, Case," she said, leaning in, and kissing her cheek quickly.

Olivia had retrieved a bottle of water from Alex's mini fridge and had walked it over to the woman. Gia gave her a smile and swallowed the medication. Just then, there was a knock on Alex's door. "Come in," she grumbled, rolling her eyes. "I swear, if that's one of my ADA's, coming to 'clear their mind' with Beau one more—" the sight before her eyes was one completely unexpected. "Kim," she whispered, causing Casey to avert her eyes towards the blue-eyed brunette.

Gia could see the anger and disappointment in Casey's eyes and body language. She could tell that something had happened between the two, but _what_ exactly? Alex stood and handed Beau to Olivia whom walked towards the couch and gave the baby to her mother, "What are you doing here?"

"Well, hello to you too, Alex," Kim mentioned, crossing her arms at her chest. "That's not the way to greet your new ADA, _Chief_ _Cabot_."

Alex smirked, "When they told me it was a transfer from DC, I wasn't expecting it to be you."

"Well, I saw a chance to come back so, why not take it?" Kim mentioned, moving around the office. "Oh, Detective, how are you?"

"It's Lieutenant and I'm doing fine," Olivia mentioned, obviously not pleased by the woman.

It was then when she noticed the redhead and the new face in Alex's office. "Casey," she whispered, her lips curling into a smile. "How are you?"

Casey looked between Gia and Alex, attempting to keep her composure for the sake of being at work. "Fine," she bit back.

Kim raised her eyebrows in shock and... distaste. "Is there anything that you needed, Kim?" Alex quickly said, averting a situation.

"Uh," she said, turning, "just wanted to let you know that I was your new transfer and that I look forward in working with you."

"I'll see you tomorrow, bright and early. Report to the Deputy Chief, he'll let you know what cases to cover," Alex finished, standing next to Olivia.

Kim nodded. "Chief, _Lieutenant_ ," she turned and walked to the door and turned before walking out. "I'll see you around, Casey," she said huskily, closing the door behind her.

Casey breathed out through her nose, obviously annoyed by what had happened. No one dare to say anything. The women just looked at each other, waiting until one of them spoke. Gia, being the straight shooter she was, was the first one to speak, "Who was that?"

" _That_ was Kim Greylek, she took my spot when I was censured a couple of years back," Casey explained. "She went back to DC and Alex replaced her temporarily until I returned to SVU. We stayed in touch, actually and we dated long distance. I wanted to surprise her one weekend and when I arrived, I found out she was cheating on me."

Gia understood now why everyone had been so short with the brunette. "Do you still have feelings for her, Casey?" Gia mentioned, placing a hand on her knee.

"She really hurt me. I haven't seen her since I walked out on her that night," Casey admitted.

Gia nodded and smiled, silently grateful that she still had a chance with the redhead. Olivia and Alex watched them from afar, granting them the slight privacy they deserved. "Do you think they worked it out?" Olivia asked her wife.

"If Gia's smile is any indication of it, I'd say yes, they did," Alex responded.

After the eventful encounter, they decided to order their lunch to be delivered to the Bureau Chief's office, not wanting to step out in the cold any longer. Due to Gia's medications, her appetite hadn't been the same, but she was still able to out-eat the other three women easily. She fed Beau some of the food that had been ordered and finished by rocking her gently and easing her into slumber. It had been roughly four hours and the jury was still not back, Olivia was beginning to get fidgety. Usually when they took this long, it only meant one thing.

A ring to Alex's phone snapped every one of their thoughts. "Cabot," she chirped quickly.

"…"

"Yes, she is here," she mentioned. "Casey, phone."

Casey stood from her position and paced towards the phone, "Novak."

"…"

"About time, Jesus, we'll be there in ten," she hung the receiver. "Jury's back, we have fifteen minutes to make it back."

Olivia and Gia stood quickly. Gia handed Beau to Alex whom decided to take a break from her files and sit with the sleeping child in her arms until verdict was delivered. It wouldn't take long regardless of what happened.

They quickly made their way back to court, careful not to aggravate Gia's injuries and her lack for keeping up with the other two women. They briskly made their way to the eleventh floor and sat in their correspondent seats. Apparently, Olivia had texted the team to let them know that the jury had made it back and when in the gallery, Gia, once more had the full support of the one-six. They heard the bailiff announce the entry of the Judge and they all stood and waited for her to take her seat. Judge Barth sat and everyone took his or her cue.

She recapped what had happened during the trial and preceded to address the foreman, "Mr. Foreperson, have you reached your verdict?"

"Yes, Your Honor, we have," he said.

"On the charge of Domestic Violence and Assault in the First Degree, what say you?" Judge Barth asked.

"We the Jury find the Defendant…"

Gia held her breath, she thought about both possibilities. What if the verdict came back 'not guilty', could she really live her life knowing that at any given moment Sam could want her revenge? She could be vengeful and vindictive like that. She wouldn't stop until she either had Gia back or else, no matter the circumstances that were Sam's end goal; to get Gia back and have her under her control.

Gia was beginning to get antsy when the foreman delivered their verdict, "Guilty."

"On the charge of Reckless Endangerment in the Second Degree, what say you?" Judge Barth asked once more.

"We the Jury find the Defendant, guilty."

Gia could feel the tears fast down her face and Olivia hugged the girl next to her and congratulated her on the win. The gallery was filled with cheers, as justice had been made for one of their own.

Judge Barth banged her gavel, "Order! The Defendant will continue to be on remand until sentencing. Court's adjourned."

She couldn't move, not after all the emotions that were coursing through her body.

Her tears were hot and steady on her face, but they were ones of joy and gratitude. She was happy that she could finally put everything behind her, she was happy that now she could finally start anew, she was grateful for her squad, and most importantly; she was grateful for that beautiful redhead that now stood in front of her. She could breathe easily now, she was beginning to live again, and all because she almost lost her life at the hands of someone she thought loved her.

Because there is no bigger awakening than staring death straight in the eyes, a near death that was brought on by the hands of someone who knew her since college, the same someone who vowed time and time again never again to hurt her, to always protect her, and care for her.

How could she have been so dumb?

How could she have been so naïve?

Was it because she believed she was damaged goods or was it because she truly believed no one could be capable of loving her after going through what she went through?

Either way, Gia had proved Sam wrong; Beau loved her, her parents loved, her squad mates and superior felt love for her, and now there was this woman, this amazing woman that was caring for her and her daughter, that was there for her without asking anything in return. That was real and unabashed; something that no one could take away from her other than herself.

Gia felt Olivia tugging at her arm, ushering her out. "Come on, we'll pick up Beau, and I'll drop you off at Casey's. I know you need your rest," Olivia mentioned calmly, still with a smile on her face.

After exiting the gallery, Gia felt like she was swimming, but not in darkness the way she had been feeling all along, she could actually see the speckles of the rays of sunshine penetrate the surface and cast that shadowing light at the bottom of the water. She could finally see where she was going, where she was headed. She wasn't swimming blindly any longer. Now she knew where to go, and now she knew that she had been swimming closer to the surface than she had thought. She could come up for air at any given moment and see what waited for her there beyond the horizon, it was there for her, and no one could take it away.

She could finally breathe.

She could finally heal.

She could finally live.

Walking back to the DA's Office, Olivia did her best to keep her arms around her subordinate. It was like all of her emotions were on autopilot and she was moving because she needed to move, not necessarily because she wanted to. Olivia could see that Gia was in daze; she had this grin of true happiness upon her face that hadn't dissipated since they'd left the courthouse. Olivia was her only connection to reality.

Arriving at Alex's office, Alex immediately noticed the overall joy on Gia's face, but what they couldn't understand is why she hadn't been able to react to her surroundings. It was like she was stuck, relishing in what would be her new life from here on out. But, they couldn't be happier for her if they wanted to. Gia sat with her elbows on her knees on Alex's couch, still smiling whilst Olivia and Alex spoke at Alex's desk with a sleeping Beau in Alex's arms.

Casey walked in, a smile on her face to the Bureau Chief's office. "What's wrong with her?" she asked, snickering at the face that Gia sported.

Olivia chuckled, "I don't know, she's been that way ever since we left court. It's like she's aware, but she's not responding to her surroundings. I think she's still processing."

"Gia," Casey cooed softly. "Giovanna, can you hear me?"

Gia was aware of her surroundings. She was aware of what was being said. She knew how silly she must've look to everyone around her, but then again, she couldn't believe it. She needed time for it to sink in.

Suddenly she stood from the couch and approached Casey, a wry smile on her lips. She crashed her body with Casey's in a tight hug, her breathing suddenly easing, and calming. Casey hugged her waist, giving in to the hug. "Thank you," she whispered to Casey's ear.

Casey relaxed, her arms tightening around the woman in front of her, and nodded, her face burrowing further into Gia's neck. Once they released each other, the unexpected happened, they held each other, centimeters apart. Casey was drowning in the sweet scent of the woman in front of her, whether it came from her perfume or from her delicious shampoo, all Casey knew was that in that moment, that was her favorite scent, and she never wanted to stop smelling it.

They smiled to each other, their faces tinting with red. They knew they were in Alex's office, with Olivia there as well, and the door wasn't locked so they risked the chance of being caught after having said in open court that they were not in fact, in a relationship… yet. Casey smiled that full smile that had the power to send Gia to her knees. Her pink lips were perfectly aligned with the other woman's. God made no mistake when molding this beautiful woman and her incredible features. Casey was a work of art that Gia planned on admiring until Casey got tired of her. Before Casey could say something, Gia nudged her nose against Casey's, the simple gesture making her gasp and catch a breath in her chest. But, the moment didn't last long as Beau's rowdiness interrupted the women.

They came apart slowly and when they turned to face Olivia and Alex, they couldn't help but feel like guilty teenagers. Both Olivia and Alex had smug grins on their faces and a knowing look in their eyes. Of course they weren't going to say anything to make the moment even more uncomfortable than it already was, but they hoped they conveyed that whatever this façade they were putting up for the sake of their jobs, themselves, or whomever they thought they were fooling, came to an end soon. They wanted nothing more than for Casey and Gia to be happy. Whether it was together or separately, they deserved happiness and if they had found it in each other then so be it, it deserved to be explored.

Alex approached Gia with Beau still in her arms. "Congratulations, Gia," Alex cooed softly, enveloping the woman in a hug as best as she could.

Beau reached for her mother, a sleepy grin on her face. "Thank you, Alex," she said, exchanging the baby in their arms. "And, thank you, Lieutenant for everything."

Olivia approached the women and snaked her arm around Alex's waist, "There's no need for that. I told you from the beginning that we're a family and you're part of it."

Gia smiled and looked into Beau's expressive eyes, bouncing her lightly against her body, causing the baby to giggle lightly. "Family," she whispered, almost inaudibly.

She _could_ breathe and live again.

Yes, this meant therapy and clearance before she was able to go to work, but she preferred this, she would take this any day instead of being stuck underneath the hideous and somewhat powerful hold Sam had had on her for the past eleven years. She vowed, on that day, whilst looking into the sweet stare of her daughter that she would protect her, that she'd always live truthfully and with her in mind.

Even after the few months of therapy after her rape, Gia was not as strong-minded as she had thought, she was still weak and she allowed for Sam's words to blind and cloud her judgment. Gia knew that there were women out there whom would love her regardless of her being 'damaged goods' yet she still allowed herself to be consumed by the wretched power behind Sam's words.

She knew better than that.

Now that she had been working SVU, she would tell this to her survivors, she would make them believe that they were more than what their predators had subjected them to.

She was too.

* * *

 **NOTE:** Sorry for abandoning this story. I hit a little roadblock down the road, but hopefully can get into the full writing gist again. Hope you enjoy this chapter!


	14. Chapter 14

_**Chapter 14**_

"Beau, what do you think about Casey? Do we like her?" Gia spoke to her daughter whilst she nursed her.

It had been calm days proceeding trial and Gia spent most of them in Casey's apartment with her daughter. She took her medication as ordered and her pain medication before bed, and it would last her the whole night and well into the next day until it was time to put Beau down for her midday nap. She still had three more weeks of leave before she was allowed to return and she still needed to perform her psychological evaluation and receive clearance before being released into the field, otherwise, she'd be stuck with desk duty. Beau stared at her mother as she suckled contently and fluttered her eyelids as sleep slowly took possession of her small body.

"I like her," Gia whispered to her daughter, smiling. "And, I know you like her too, little one. I see the way you smile for her and the way you listen to her… I think I'm falling in love with her Beau, is that bad?" she stared at her daughter that with her soothing voice had found peaceful slumber.

Gia smiled and went to stand but the sudden stirring caused Beau to continue suckling at her mother's breast. Gia paced herself and allowed her mind to wander into a dreamland not too far from reality and not too far from what they've been living in…

" _Mami," said Beau._

" _Yes, baby," answered Gia._

" _Is Mama coming home soon?" she asked, eyes hopeful, and glistening._

" _She is, she should be here soon," Gia responded, caressing her now four-year-old's cheek._

 _There was a sudden key-rattling coming from the door as it swiveled open to reveal a florid faced Casey, "Tell me why'd I agreed to go prepare that warrant again? On the coldest day of the year."_

 _Gia chuckled as Beau ran and stumbled on her feet. "Mama," the girl squealed, dragging on the last syllable as she crashed onto the redhead's long gams. "Hola Ma."_

" _Hola bella, y Mami, ¿dónde está?"_

" _Kitchen," Beau responded._

" _To answer your question, baby; you went in because you're amazing and you have a heart of gold. That's why," she responded as she emerged from the kitchen, meeting her wife halfway with their daughter on her hips._

 _Casey smiled and leaned forward to plant a searing kiss on the lips of the woman that had stolen her heart. "This is why I love you," Casey conceded as she placed another quick kiss on her wife's lips causing Beau to giggle._

" _What's so funny, huh booger?" Gia teased._

" _Mama kiss you on the lips," the girl relented._

 _Gia and Casey both chuckled as they kissed each of the girl's cheeks causing a fit of squeals._

 _Gia smiled and the sudden shrill of her phone interrupted the moment, except there was no phone to be found..._

It rung again, jolting her back to reality. She palmed the sofa and found the blaring device. "Rosa," she answered.

" _Detective, how are you feeling?_ " came the voice of her Lieutenant.

"Better," she responded, cradling her daughter on her chest as she draped the baby on her shoulder and adjusted her camisole accordingly. "I can bend pain-free now," she smiled.

" _That's great, that means you're healing accordingly. Are you ready to come back, Gia?_ "

"I am, though I'm not sure I want to leave Beau behind after spending all this time with her," Gia tittered.

" _Well you know the deal, Gia. I need that evaluation on my desk or else it is desk duty for you and I need you back, Carisi is driving everyone insane_ ," Olivia chuckled at her comment.

Gia rolled her eyes at the realization of her partner. "I have an appointment tomorrow, Lieutenant. I'll stop by as well to deliver the verdict," she conceded.

" _Ok, I'll see you tomorrow then._ "

Gia smiled and hit the end button on her cell. She rested her hands on Beau's back and rubbed them gently as she positioned herself on the couch comfortably. She missed the closeness and bonding time with her daughter and she wanted to get all of it before she had to return back to work. There were going to be long twelve hour shifts, but she'd be doing what she loved: helping people and serving the public. She had accommodated her back against the armrest and Beau now rested comfortably against her abdomen and chest, soundly sleeping. It was not long until slumber engulfed her body too.

Casey walked in her apartment expecting rowdiness and commotion, but was met with silence; calm and soothing silence. She crossed the threshold and her eyes were met with a sudden heavenly sight. There they were, mother and daughter asleep. They both had their head pointing at the door, their pouty lips slightly parted, and their brow pulled in as if they were dreaming about the same thing.

Casey couldn't help but snicker at the sight in front of her and it caused Gia to be roused. "Oh, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to wake you," Casey apologized.

Gia smiled and shook her head. "No, you're fine. We've been asleep for," she trailed off looking at the wall that held the clock in place, "for three hours. It's enough plus, I need to get started on dinner."

Casey watched as Gia accommodated her body with her child on top and saw how Beau slowly rose from slumber. "Hey there, pretty girl," she said as she reached for the infant. Beau yawned and squealed at the sight of her favorite redhead, "She really likes you, Casey."

"I like her too... and her mom," Casey mentioned, standing Beau on her thighs.

Gia tucked a loose strand of her hair behind her ear and smiled at her feet, attempting to reel in her wandering thoughts. She reached forward on the coffee table and grabbed Beau's jingle bell bracelet and fastened it on her wrist, "Why don't you go undress and I'll get started on dinner."

"What's your fascination with seeing me undress, Detective?" Casey flirted as she chanced a glance to the beautiful woman.

"Oh, I have more than a fascination with seeing you undress, Counselor," Gia responded, not missing a beat.

This caused Casey to gain a red tint on her face. "Go out with me," Casey retorted quickly.

Gia smiled at the woman, "When?"

Casey hitched a breath, not expecting that answer from the woman. She smirked and bit her lip seductively, continuing her tantalizing play. "Tomorrow," she husked, as she held the bouncing baby by her under arms.

"Who's going to take care of this little one? I've been ignoring my parents for the longest time; I can't just show up. I'm not ready for their scrutiny," Gia confessed.

Casey looked at the baby in her arms and listened to the jingle of the bells on her wrist as she thought and pondered on whom could she possibly trust with this secret. It's not like it was unbeknownst to the members of SVU about their mutual crush on each other. But, she did have to be careful for both of their sakes. It wasn't only their reputation, but it was their careers as well.

It had to be handled with care until they could disclose to their bosses if that's what it came to, "What about Alex and Olivia?"

Gia pondered on the suggestion equally, again, this was their careers on line, but the more Gia thought about it, the less flaws she saw in this plan. She closed her eyes and bit her lip. "Done," and she was in shock. The word left her mouth before she could stop it and Casey neatly smiled, biting her lip in the process as everything settled in her being. The woman she had been fawning over the past four months had finally agreed on going on a date with her and now, she couldn't be happiest.

Gia leaned over and kissed Casey's cheek, rapidly feeling the warmth of her skin against her lips. She giggled and watched as Casey's hand flew up to cup her cheek as a silly smile played on her lips. It was bound to be memorable and neither could wait or could they?

* * *

Gia stared at herself in the mirror of her room down the hallway from Casey's and admired the reflection staring back at her. Beau squealed as she saw her mother's reflection in the mirror. She smiled and smoothed her hands against the skirt of her beautiful burgundy backless dress.

The silhouette was created by the draped fabric into a front tier that transitioned into cape sleeves that trailed out back alongside the sheath skirt and it fit beautifully over the shape of her body. She grabbed her black strappy sandal heels and opened the door to her room once she heard Casey's door open. Gia gasped once she saw Casey, she was wearing a deep teal silk dress with a sexy mid-thigh slit. The color matched beautifully with her eyes and the color of her hair. They both continued to stare at each other, divesting on another with their eyes.

"You look… stunning," Casey mentioned breathily.

Gia smiled bashfully and tucked her silky mane behind her ear, "You look beautiful, too."

They stood there almost awkwardly both relishing in the presence of the other before Beau made her presence known. Gia snapped out of it and quickly went inside to look for her bag and diaper bag to take to the Benson-Cabot's home. Casey smiled at the infant in her mother's hand as she handed her a sugar cookie. Gia chuckled at the gluttony of both her date and her daughter.

They made it downstairs to Casey's SUV and made their way to their friend's home. All the way to Alex and Olivia's home they played with each other's fingers and sneaked flirtatious glances. It was everything that wasn't said that made it all so much better, that made it all so incredibly alluring to the other.

Once they pulled up to the Benson-Cabot's home, Olivia was the one that greeted them at the door. She complimented both women and Alex was the one that took Beau and introduced her to Noah, Caroline, and Ethan. Oh, and who could forget Cannoli; the family's beautiful longhaired Dachshund. The women ushered the lovebirds away, but not before saying goodbye to the infant that seemed content with the Benson-Cabot kids.

Casey drove them to a quaint restaurant in Hell's Kitchen and when she exited the SUV, she was there to properly court her inside. Everybody looked at them, whether it was for the fact that they were stunningly beautiful or because they were there with each other or maybe because this was an elite venue and everybody knew everybody there. There were federal and Supreme Court judges, members of the Brass, federal agents, and multiple elitists. This was an exclusive restaurant and Gia was about to find out who Casey Novak really was.

"Casey, this is beautiful," Gia conceded as she pushed her long mane over her shoulders.

Casey smirked impishly. "I'm glad you like it. Alex told me that Olivia loved the duck. So the place comes _highly_ recommended," she finished nonchalantly.

"And highly vetted as well," Gia quipped; taking a sip of the water glass that had been filled by their hostess.

Casey tittered as the waiter approached promptly introducing him self until he saw Casey, "Ms. Novak, welcome. Would you like to moved?"

"No, we're great here. Thank you, would bring us a bottle of Stags' Leap please," Casey mentioned quickly.

The waiter disappeared, leaving behind the menus. "Come here often, Counselor?" Gia asked behind her menu, her eyebrows raised in bemusement.

The gesture didn't go unnoticed by the redhead and she shifted, crossing her legs underneath the table. "Look at me, Giovanna;" Gia entertained the woman, and pointed her multicolored stare at the fair woman across from her. "What—What's this I'm sensing?" Casey asked, amused at the woman across from her. "Are—Are you _jealous_ , Detective?"

Gia smiled and licked her lips, " _That's_ not an answer to _my_ question."

Casey scoffed and placed her hands atop the table. "Gia," Casey attempted to bargain.

"Casey," Gia mentioned sternly, that fiery behavior everyone knew latina women possessed seeped through her pores. That icy glare holding the fiery emerald across from her and she slowly bit her lip, knowing well the effect this had on the other woman.

Casey wavered once the waiter returned and they put their orders in. They tasted the wine and Gia had to commend her date for the fabulous taste of the crimson liquid. "Alex and I co-own this restaurant," Casey begun as Gia continued to stare at the woman, "and several others as well."

Gia smirked and brought down her glass. "So, you _do_ come here often then?" Gia winked at Casey to let up on the sudden somber mood.

"But not as a patron," Casey admitted.

"I'll make sure to tip well," Gia admitted, gaining a full hearty laugh from the redhead.

They continued with their light-hearted banter and when the food arrived, they ate in companionable silence. They shared forkfuls of their meals and flirted mercilessly. Proud and openly and that's when it dawned on Gia that the reason for them being stared at was because the co-owner of the restaurant was there with them all. The date was beautiful, the meal was to-die for, the dessert was both savory and sweet, and the choice of wine made everything smooth and highly enjoyable.

They had made arrangements for Beau to spend to night and the following morning, they were to pick her up and accompany the family for breakfast. They left the restaurant and Casey took them back to the apartment, but not before having her waiter bring a bottle of the wine they had been sharing over dinner. And, once inside the dwelling, Gia brought her hair to the base of her head in a ponytail, exposing her neck and chest as she plopped down on the couch. Casey joined her and they sat in silence, eyeing each other's movements, sharing subtle touches, and lingering their gazes in areas they wanted to touch or kiss or taste. They still had yet to say a word, but they continued to drink and enjoy each other's company.

In a moment of a boldness Gia stood on her knees and straddled Casey's lap and the look of fright on the redhead's face told Gia everything she needed to know about the type of woman Casey really was. "Relax, Counselor, I'm not taking advantage. I just want to be closer to you," she finished, looping her arms around Casey's neck.

Casey relaxed against the back cushions of her couch and looped an arm around Gia's waist, leaning forward carefully to place her wine glass atop the table and taking Gia's and doing the same. She sat back and stared up at the woman on her lap, her hands resting easily on her thighs, feeling the smooth caramel skin underneath her pads. Casey looked deep into her eyes and what reflected back scared her.

There wasn't disgust or mistrust, not even hurt, but something deeper. Something bigger. There was _love_.

How could there be love in that beautiful heterochromic stare when they'd only known each other for a few months?

How could Gia be _in love_ already?

And there it was, _doubt_. Whilst Gia's eyes exuded nothing but love, Casey's reciprocated hers with _doubt_.

" _I was blinded_ ," Gia commenced, gently cupping Casey's face with both of her hands, " _your smile shining behind those green eyes. The horizon so enticing, please, say you'll be mine_ ," she whispered against the redhead's freckled face, nudging her nose lovingly.

Casey's eyes brimmed with tears and whilst Gia declared her love for her, Casey brought her hands to Gia's waist, her thumbs rubbing the smooth fabric of her dress. "What if this is your version of hero syndrome, Gia? I—I don't want to get hurt again," Casey admitted, shaking her head, and holding her tears at bay.

Gia tightened the grip on that exquisitely freckled face and stared deep into pools of green, blue, and some brown. "Casey, you _did_ save me. Why can't you be my hero?" Gia's thumb roamed Casey's cheekbone. "What are you _really_ afraid of? Tell me."

Casey thought about the question at play, what was she _really_ scared of? You'd think her biggest fear was that maybe Gia was Casey's hero in some way or another and even if she didn't admit it to her self, she was aware of it. "I don't want to lose you," she confessed in a whisper, losing all resolution on her continuous hold of her tears. "I don't want you to wake up and think 'there's someone else for me out there'. I don't think I could handle it, Gia."

" _Don't wake me up_ ," Gia said, shaking her hands on Casey's cheeks, " _'cause I'm in love with all that you are. You make me feel the truth in things, I think that you are the remedy for everything, it seems that you are, the truth itself 'cause nothing else can take me so far_ ," and as she finished she crashed her lips on Casey's.

Casey mewled and as she did so, Gia snuck her tongue in her mouth, tasting and teasing, searching and longing for contact. She conveyed her emotions, but more than that, it was the seal, the stamp of approval Casey needed. She dare not to mistrust the other woman's words any longer because if there was any doubt left, Gia had lapped, bit, and kissed it away. Their breaths were taken away, but this was how they spent their evening, learning what their lips felt on each other, but most importantly, learning how love tasted on the other.

* * *

 **NOTE:** Those are lyrics from from Jhené Aiko's song 'Blue Dream'.


End file.
